What We Deserve
by CrimsonJoy
Summary: Upon meeting Belle for the first time in the diner, Ruby finds that there's more to being a wolf than just the transformation. Mating fic, does include a little Rumbelle but nothing serious. There I wrote an epilogue!
1. Chapter 1

"Ruby, another ice tea for the girl in the booth," Granny scoffed, "I swear that girls on her third one today, she's had a bit much... It's not even one o'clock." The last sentence she muttered, earning a small smile from her granddaughter. Carefully moving over to leave Granny to finish prepping the food, Ruby slipped out of the kitchen and into the main room.

Ruby, who had only actually started her shift a mere ten minutes before, had already seen the new girl, but only from the corner of her eye, and knew her grandmother's words were true. But that wasn't quite what had caught her interest. Chugging down iced teas was one thing, but being a complete stranger in Storybrooke was another.

Sighing but leaving the question up for another time, Ruby swiped up the glass as she sauntered by, nodding at Leroy –the only other occupant in the diner, naturally already drunk- as she rounded the counter with the cold glass chilling her hand, coating her palm in condensation.

The smile on her face was genuine as she went about her job that morning. The curse was broken, everyone was back with their loved ones, even the sun seemed to shine a little brighter, and there was just this feeling she had. It was good, almost like nerves but so much better, more thrilling in a way. Like foreboding and excitement mixed together, leaving her strangely ecstatic.

In a simpler way of description, Red was having a good afternoon.

That was, until five seconds later, as soon as she placed the glass down on the table in front of the new girl, opened her mouth to speak and brought her eyes up to lock with baby blues.

Then of course, when the wind was knocked from her lungs at the sight, and she quickly drew in a new breath to replace it, it was knocked out again with the arrival of a scent Ruby had never smelled before. It was like flowers and books and spice and _home. _Her wolf growled the last point, but every part of Ruby agreed in a moment.

The impact was so strong, Ruby was amazed that she managed to stay standing at all, frozen in place hovering above the table as she was. Her back seemed to straighten of its own accord, well she didn't tell it too anyway. The sound of the other woman's breathing had her matching it, her lips opening to give her more oxygen as she began to fall –or at least, that's what it felt like, thought she wasn't scared.

Suddenly, her legs felt weak and her hand shot out to lean on the back of the seats. Her head was spinning but completely still, a million thoughts flying through her mind yet it was empty. Ruby thought she may have gotten a sentence out before she began to fall apart but she wasn't sure anymore.

The girl had been speaking, in an accent Ruby couldn't quite place in her frazzled mind, but now was silent, staring up at you with her lips slightly parted, and her eyes wide with confusion and wonder, and possibly reflecting Red's own. All Red could see was those eyes, she couldn't tear her gaze away. Her eyes, they reflected purity, honestly revelling the soul shining behind them, and it entranced her.

Suddenly, she awoke, blinked a few times and practically fell into the seat across from the other girl, who was collecting herself, her eyebrows creased in deep thought that made Ruby smile, though really she was more focused on settling her wolf and calming her nerves. "Hi," she got out a word, more than she expected.

"Hi," Australian, that was it.

"I'm Ruby" _Dammit! Did that sound too overzealous? Maybe I should have waited to introduce myself…._

"Belle," her lips stretched into a friendly grin and Ruby felt weak all over again, feeling her own smile appear on her face like magic. The taller woman swallowed, trying to use her words when they failed her yet again.

"I haven't seen you in here before," _Yes, a full sentence without messing up. _

Belle's smile seemed to dim at the words and immediately Ruby felt just a little bit sick. _What was this?_ "I've been a..." the pause worried her for the moment it lasted. "_kept_ woman, until recently."

Deep inside, Red growled, and her wolf reared its head in anger at something Ruby didn't quite understand. _Kept could mean almost anything_, was her quick response to the she-wolf inside her. But it didn't quieten down; its growling in her head grew only louder and deeper, until the constant noise in her mind drove her to divulge deeper into this girl with the bright eyes.

Summoning her Ruby persona as her forefront, she began with a simple, "Let me guess, bad breakup?" and a smile, she hoped for the best.

"I think I may be headed there." Belle pursed her lips, her eyes sad, but underlined with something else. Strength? Defiance? Maybe a little nerves? The wolf howled its approval and Ruby quickly scolded that part of herself, not knowing why she was being so animated with a simple conversation. Though as she did so, the wolf snuck itself into her words, quickly steering the two the direction it wanted them to go.

"Do you have a place to stay?" she leaned forward almost by accident, and put it towards the wolf being the wolf again, "Any family here?" her voice was soft as she spoke, and Belle did seemed relaxed by it enough to answer.

Deep inside, Ruby started as she caught up with the words she had just spoken. _Did I really just ask her to, practically, move in? _

Though her face still seemed sad, Belle spoke in a friendly tone, "Uh, I'm not sure, I'm still looking, but I'm on my own for now…" Ruby heart broke just a little as Belle's eyes became downcast once again.

"I could ask Granny about a room here…"

"Really?" Suddenly she was smiling again and Ruby didn't care about asking Granny anything, Belle could sleep right there in the diner if she so wished. "Thanks." That smile…

Honestly, Ruby was pretty proud of her conversation skills at that moment, so when her brain shut down again, she wasn't exactly shocked. She had a good run while it lasted. Belle finally reached out to take her drink (Ruby's quick eyes noted her slightly shaking hands) and lifted it to her lips slowly, her eyes never breaking contact with Ruby's.

This was how their staring contest began once again.

Ruby wasn't sure how long they simply sat there, watching this mysterious stranger to the town, but by the time Granny shrill voice told her to "Stop daydreaming and bust tables!", the ice in Belle's drink had melted, and the diner had begun to fill with early lunch goers.

Belle grinned up at her and gestured for her to leave, and Ruby smiled back down, already feeling something strange in her stomach as she turned her back on the booth. She couldn't help but turn her head to see Belle staring right back at her. She gave the girl one last glance before disappearing after her grandmother into the kitchen.

Heaving a sigh at the heavy feeling filling her, Ruby grabbed a few plates of food from the cook and quickly turned only to almost crash into Granny, who as staring at her with knowing look that was almost a smirk. Ruby sent her a questioning eye roll and tried to walk around her, but was stopped when Granny sidestepped with her.

"The foods going cold." She huffed out, but Granny didn't care, instead she took the food, gave it to another waitress as she walked in and grabbed Ruby's arm, dragging her further through the diner into the back room.

The back room wasn't used. It was a freezing, grey room about the size of a shed. It was unfurnished and bare, and always made Ruby's skin crawl, though she wasn't really sure why.

Granny shut the door behind them and turned to her, her smirk growing into an excited face that made her seem younger than she was. She gestured wildly with her hands, towards the main room to Ruby and back again. "Red, do you know what just happened?" her voice was so light, Ruby almost laughed, but instead she just shook her head.

"Um… I didn't waitress?"

Granny almost rolled her eyes. "How do you feel right now? Empty, a little sick?"

Ruby narrowed her eyes, but nodded her agreement which did little more than excite her grandmother even more. "I didn't eat breakfast this morning, I was in a rush-"

"No. Red… you just found your mate."

Ruby's only joking face dropped, and her eyebrows creased in confusion. "What?"

"You found you mate, that girl in the diner that's always in Mr Gold's shop."

"Belle?" Granny nodded and Ruby shook her head. "No, no, no, no, Mary Margaret told me she's Mr Gold's girl." Her grandmother's eyes narrowed in question. "She says it's True Love." There was a tinge of something in her voice that broke her mother figure's heart.

Granny smiled and rubbed her granddaughters upper arms, "Ruby, honey… be patient. You'll get it someday." Ruby looked confused but her grandmother shook it off. "Do you want to take the rest of the day off?"

Ruby shook her head, her head suddenly feeling far to light to work. She had heard of 'mating', but had never expected it to happen after the curse, since she had known everyone in the town for years. But then Belle arrived, a stranger… Panic began to bubble under the surface, and Ruby couldn't breathe.

Granny sensed her turmoil and, after rubbing her back and offering her another comforting look, exited the room, leaving her granddaughter to lean against the cold, cement wall with a groan on her lips and her head in her hands.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruby only appeared back to work an hour later, her eyes still panicked and her mind elsewhere. Most of the customers had disappeared while she was gone, but a few stranglers remained munching on burgers and hot dogs.

But that scent didn't interest Red. She only cared about Belle's, which still lingered near her seat like a mist, destined to distract her further. She could practically feel Granny's eyes on her back every time she zoned out and forgot where she was going with each meal she brought. But the glares where softer now.

Granny knew what was going through her mind, she always did, and Ruby was forever grateful that her grandmother was around to help her through wolfy things like this… especially this wolfy thing, this wolfy thing was a bit much for one person to handle. Ruby knew almost nothing about this. _Actually she knew nothing_, as Red continued to remind the rest of herself.

Suppressing yet another groan, this on born of stress, she leaned against the countertop and crossed her arms. Only back for about five minutes and already she was back to being completely exhausted and slightly overwhelmed. _Make that incredibly overwhelmed…._

She closed her eyes for a moment, savouring the rare quiet day. Taking all into account, the day was good. The sun shone through the windows and brightened everyone's mood, which in turn got her a few tips for the terrible job she happened to be doing. And, though in the most inconvenient, almost dangerous way, she had found her mate.

As if summoned by thought, her scent returned to her. That same mouth-watering gorgeous smell that had her mind blank and her heart racing in seconds, it filled her senses and sent her eyes shooting open, quickly scanning over the diner to find the source, and not having to travel far.

Belle was standing just inside the door, a small smile on her face and her hair windswept. She wasn't exactly sure where to go from there apparently, as her eyes looked a little confused, but bright and friendly all the same. Ruby thought she looked beautiful.

Making her way slowly towards the booth she had sat in before to take a seat, and pulled the book Red hadn't noticed she had brought out into the open, placing it carefully on the table, like it was some sort of prized jewel she was scared to damage.

Later on, if Ruby was ever asked, she'd deny it, but she got to Belle's table way to quickly to be taken as normal. She knew she looked like a little too enthusiastic when she heard Granny chuckle lightly from behind the counter. "Hi, again."

Belle looked up at her, trying in vain to smoothen out her hair. "Hi… forgot I have absolutely nowhere else to go today. Do you mind if I stay here to read?"

Ruby shook her head. "No, relax. Oh, I need to get you keys for your new room too."

Belle nodded and Ruby spun on her heel to actually get around to asking Granny for these keys that she had now accidentally tricked Belle into thinking she had. Not that there was really any chance she wouldn't get them, but asking Granny for things still made her a little nervous. The old woman could be terrifying when she wanted to be.

"Granny," she whispered as soon as she was in hearing distance of the ex-wolf. "I kinda promised Belle a room at the inn…. For free," She heard the older woman grumble a little but she knew she was winning; Granny hadn't gotten too annoyed, "Can I _please_ let her stay? I'll make it up to you."

Granny sigh, and not angry spew of words, was all the answer Ruby needed. She drew her grandmother in for a quick, millisecond long hug before scampering back to Belle's side. The girl in question was so far buried into her novel, that it took her a moment to even notice Ruby was back, and even she did, she almost dropped the book in surprise.

"I got you the room. But can you wait til I'm finished my shift? I'll bring you back to the Inn straight away."

Belle grinned up at her. "Of course, I can wait a few hours." She gestured down to her book, "I'm fine."

Ruby nodded, pursing her lips. She really didn't want to walk away from this girl again. It felt wrong, and she didn't like it. It wasn't awful per say, she could tolerate it if she really wanted too, but she'd rather not. She rather just sit there and watch Belle read.

Heaving a silent sigh and breaking her eye contact with Belle, Ruby went back to work, her mind happy knowing Belle was in close proximity but annoyed that she had to work while she was. Ruby just assumed this was something that came along with finding her mate, but wow was it strange. She couldn't go five minutes without her eyes travelling over to Belle for God's sake! Not that she couldn't feel eyes on her sometimes too….

That, and the fact that she could hear Granny laughing at her from the kitchen, gave the rest of the day a particularly slow feel to it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Finally! _The diner was shutting, and every single part of Ruby couldn't help but feel excitement. _Freedom! Bringing Belle home too. _

Like a child, Ruby almost giggled at her thought, before catching herself. _No, bring Belle back to the hotel, don't do anything to scare her away. _Mission set. Mission also going to be impossible.

"Okay, Belle," the brunette's head snapped up at her voice, "You want me to bring you to B&B?"

Belle's manic nodding and smiling almost had her joining in, but instead she forced herself to remain together. Though she couldn't resist cracking a smile and the other woman's quick response of, "Yes, of course, thank you." Why was her accent so cute? It wasn't fair. Belle quickly stood from the booth and stood at Ruby side. "Ready to go when you are."

"After you." Ruby swept her hand towards the door, bowing slightly and earning a small laugh from her companion in reward. "It's not far or anything, just down the road but I need to get you your keys and show you to your room."

Belle nodded and shivered out in the cold, evening air. The heat of the sun had evaporated, and had left them cold without it, but she was alright. For some reason she was warmer than usual that night anyway.

They walked in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It wasn't comfortable either it was just… silence. Ruby wasn't sure what to say or do with Belle around. They weren't friends, to Belle there was no connection at all (as far as she knew anyway) and her mind had short circuited and left her with nothing to say, at all.

Though silence did reign supreme, it didn't stop Ruby from stealing glances. Out in the fresh air, Belle's scent was diluted, and the wolf craved more of it, but settled considerably at the sight of the woman she walked with.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Okay, here are the keys, and my room is just down the hall," Ruby pointed it out to her, "Just in case you need anything."

Belle smiled, biting her lower lip a tiny bit before letting it go. She didn't want to make the taller woman uncomfortable. "Um, thank you." She said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ruby returned the words but as soon as she did, she didn't want to say goodbye to the new girl. Instinctively, and before she could tell herself not to, Ruby reached forward and drew the smaller woman into her arms and closer to herself, inhaling the scent she was sure to miss moments later.

Belle's breath hitched, and a dark blush spread over her like wildfire. Now _this _was something she hadn't been expecting. But she liked it, like it a little too much.

But as soon as it began it was over, and Ruby, with a blush that matched Belle's, quickly offered her one last goodnight wish before running off like a scared dog with its tail between its legs, back to her room, unlocking the door in record time and disappearing from sight.

Once hidden safely behind the door and away from Belle, Ruby let out a slow breath, running her hands through her hair, Belle scent lingering on her clothing and driving her insane. "Shit." It was a whimper, a desperate, worried whimper that did nothing but make her feel worse about herself.

"What am I doing?" The same voice, _why wouldn't it stop?_

Ruby felt weird, like she was empty, or lonely. Lonely sounded a lot better, so she gratefully went for that instead. Even then, it wasn't the best reasoning. She was still admitting –only to herself, but it was still finally a thought- that she missed Belle already. She missed her coy smiles and adorable ringlets. Not even to mention how much she missed that hug. Now that had been euphoric…

Blinking as soon as her thoughts began to blur a little again, she let a small sigh escape her and, barely taking the time to strip, fell into her bed. Granny had never warned her about this, but if she put any real thought about it, she really should have guessed it.

Real wolves are never away from their mates, they live in a den with everyone they love and only part to hunt, if even that. It makes sense that it's no different for werewolves.

Ruby's eyes were closed, but sleep evaded her. It was one of those nights, when no matter how many different positions she tried or sheep she counted, she knew there was no chance of dreams for hours.

So instead, almost subconsciously, she perked her supersensitive ears up to try and listen to her mate's breathing as she claimed the sleep she so desperately wished for.

Meanwhile, Belle was pacing, her mind racing with strange thoughts ranging from a schoolgirl crush to some strange side effect of the curse that drew her to Ruby for reasons she suspected Regina wouldn't even know, if this was true.

Now, after only a day of being free, she had all these new feelings that conflicted with ones she already had for a man, and it made her stomach flip and twist with nerves and that other feeling that wasn't exactly what she felt for Mr Gold, but was so similar it terrified her.

She had known the waitress for a day, a single, and felt like this…. What was this? She had a True Love in Rumple, she wasn't meant to feel anything for anyone else anymore. But there she was, pacing her room, her arms folded neatly on her chest and her eyebrows creased together for the (seemingly) millionth time that day.

When she had first left the diner after Ruby disappeared, and found that she didn't want to go back to Rumple just yet, she had desperately just wanted to return to the eatery, Belle hadn't quite added together in her mind just why this was. But after the time she had just spent with Ruby, and just hugging her, she knew.

Belle wasn't well learned in the ways of love. Though she spent so much of her time reading about it and how it felt, she'd only experienced it once. What did she know about how it really felt?

In books, no two loves are perfectly the same, so she only knew one form it may take, and this new feeling she had was strange. In this, she didn't like being separated from her… _Call it a crush for now,_ crush. It felt strange, make her feel like she was being pulled this way and that to get back to Ruby. She had never felt that with Rumple.

Though her brain was whirring with possibilities, at that moment, her actual mind didn't care at all. Belle herself didn't care why she felt like this, and was wise enough to know that no matter how much reasoning she put into this, she would never find the answer she sought by pacing her room until eleven at night.

And, as much as the thought worried her, she wanted was to be back in Ruby's arms.

Drawing in a long, slow breath and letting it out in a sigh, Belle finally came to a stop. As she had nothing to change into, she crawled under the covers, awkwardly slipping her dress over her head before settling down.

Her mind and body were tired from her day, as emotionally exhausting as it was, but sleep would not come to her. So instead, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, content to simple lie there, and daydream until real dreams took over.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle woke the next morning to lazy sunlight streaming in through the window, which she had completely forgotten to close the blinds too, landing squarely on her face and forcing her eyes open. Groaning, she rolled over, her eyes half open, before a thought struck her. She had absolutely no idea where she was.

Eyes flying open, Belle shot up in bed, her head whipping from side to side as she took in the simple room, carefully taking in all the little details that made up the room. All in all, it took her barely five seconds to place herself in a hotel, and another two for the memories to start returning to her. And by start, she meant all at once appear back and hit her in the face with far more force than she wanted to deal with that early.

_Ruby… Wait what?_ Belle blinked, confusion taking hold of her. Rumple was always the first thought of her conscious mind when she woke up.

With an audible groan, Belle sank back into the pillows and closed her eyes. She was in too deep and she knew it. For whatever reason, she liked this woman, she really, _really_ liked her and there was no deigning it now. Even now, that little voice in the back of her mind was demanding she go and see Ruby.

Thinking of Ruby made her happy, so happy it seemed nearly comical. She smiled whenever she was near and when her eyes fell on her; she could never tear them away.

That sudden desperation to see the brunette began to creep into her being with a vengeance, and she had felt it approaching, but found herself almost unable to fight it off. Not that she really put too much effort into it. A huge part of her told her to just go to the diner and pretend to eat or read while she leered at the long legged waitress.

On autopilot, Belle was up and dressed and headed out the door in seconds, smoothening down her air as best she could without a hairbrush and worrying about her clothes that were wrinkled from the day before. But she knew Ruby wouldn't care. How she knew that, she wasn't exactly sure.

Like magic, and without her own mind knowing it, Belle found herself outside the diner, breathing in the warm scent of food that surrounded it like a light mist, something side her already pulling her forward. From her place outside, she could see the object of her new affections working, smiling brightly at customers as she dropped food off to them, bringing a smile to Belle face in response.

The tinkling of the bell brought on a stiffness to Ruby's spine for a second, before she spun around, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the slightly bedraggled Belle, who was slowly wandering towards her.

Belle could have sworn her eyes flashed golden for a second there…

Ruby could scent her in the air, and it all but blocked out everything else to every one of her senses. All she could see was Belle, all she could hear was Belle, all she could everything was Belle, and she didn't care. Belle was at the diner before seven in the morning, looking exhausted but happy, and that's all Ruby wanted to know.

"Hey Belle," she beamed as the shorter brunette slid into one of the counter seats, "What can I get you, on me?"

Belle's coy smile threw her off for a moment, but Ruby quickly regained her head and caught her breath. That one got her every time! "Um… I really don't know." Blue eyes wandered up to the menu. "What do people usually eat for breakfast here?"

Ruby gathered up her confidence and answered with a smirk. "I know exactly what to give you, just a minute." Ruby turned and gave the order into the kitchen staff and was then back in front of Belle.

The diner was surprisingly quiet for this time of the day, but considering it was the weekend, it was expected that most people wouldn't be up as early as they were. Only a few stranglers hung around, sipping coffee to try and get the last of sleep from their systems. This left Ruby free to do as she please. Which, of course, was exactly what she was doing.

"So how was your first night?"

Belle smiled. "Good… had a lot on my mind though. I couldn't sleep." This sparked Ruby's concern, and she finally noticed the dark circles under the other woman's eyes with a small hint of annoyance. Whatever had kept Belle up was on her list…

"Oh yeah? Want to vent?" Ruby's offer sparked something in Belle tired mind. She really couldn't vent to her, but yet she knew no one in this town besides her and Rumpelstiltskin. And her father of course but he wasn't exactly on her list of people she could talk too.

So that left her with: No relations, No friends that she could openly talk too, and two people she had huge feelings for (these feelings both came on incredibly fast, now that she had time to think about it…) that caused her stress. Great. Perfect.

Belle ducked her head, shaking it. "No, it's nothing really-" Thankfully, she was interrupted by a call for Ruby to serve before she could accidentally let something slip in her tired state. The waitress gave her an apologetic look before attending another exhausted customer, leaving Belle alone with her thoughts for the time being.

Maybe she should tell Ruby, it was the logical thing to do, but in all honesty she didn't know if she could do it. Facing monsters look bravery, but something like that took true fearlessness, and Belle knew she couldn't handle losing her one friend. Even she couldn't survive alone.

Maybe she could ask someone how love worked here. It seemed different to their homeland, more flexible. Snow White could help her. Belle had heard so much about her, even while in Rumple's castle, the tale of Snow White had reached her ears and gave her hope for that good could still survive, no matter what.

Or if that failed she could always depend on her books. Book had taught her everything she needed to know about her old world, and this world really couldn't be too different. If only she knew where to find books here. And clothes for another matter.

A plate of strange, circular food stuffs being placed in front of her made her jump, her head darting up to meet Ruby's smirk. The taller brunette offered her a wink and a small jug-like object full of a mysterious brownish liquid before she bounded off to tend to the quickly filling diner, looking back to smile and nod towards the food, her eyes glowing.

Belle grinned back, and, while Ruby's back was too her, took the moment to appreciate the woman's way of moving. She glided more so than walked, thought she often had a more pronounced walk than usual, with an extra swig to her hips and a longer stride; the one Belle just had to admit that she loved.

But Belle loved the way her hair flowed too, just the way it gently fell over her shoulders when she leaned down, or how it bounced when she walked. She never wore it pulled up, thought she had heard that Ruby kept it back before the curse was broken. Personally, Belle was glad she didn't anymore.

It wasn't even the physical things that drew her to Ruby; it was just the happiness that radiated from the woman when she was talking to the people she served, or the way she hummed to herself when she wiped down tables. She loved the banter she often heard between the waitress and the other diner staff too. Just small little things that Belle continued to notice about her friend as time went by.

With an inaudible groan when she realised she had been staring for too long, Belle tore her eyes away and brought them back down to the strange meal in front of her. The round things were defiantly some form of batter, or cake, but the brown stuff, that seemed more like a gel when she picked up the container and moved it a little, was a new thing entirely.

"Pour the brown stuff on the round things," Damn it, startled again by the girls he had been ogling and dreaming off since yesterday afternoon. God she sounded like something out of one of her old novels.

Now with this new information, Belle gave herself a generous amount of 'the brown stuff' and picked up her knife and fork, cutting into 'the round things'. She could feel Ruby watching her, and with her imagination would see her smile. It gave her a strange, warm feeling to think the other woman was watching.

Throughout her meal, she would turn her head as casually as she could, and seek out Ruby. Not even in a staring kind of way, her mind just demanded she look at her. It seemed to calm the new, wilder version of herself that was forever growing. The one that demanded she do whatever it said. 'Go to the diner', 'Watch Ruby', etc.

Ruby, meanwhile, was in the same boat, but she knew why she was so desperate to stare at the petite brunette who sat almost constantly confused in her place of work. If she was being honest, and she wouldn't tell be to anyone, when Belle had arrived she had completely short-circuited. Granny had given her jobs and she had forgotten every last one of them in an instant.

Her mind had been screaming at her to go to Belle all morning, but she knew showing up in someone's room wouldn't exactly warrant you much of friendship. A restraining order would be more appropriate. Even though Granny had told her Belle would have been happy to see her, she still felt like she'd be overstepping boundaries this early in their friendship.

Hell, she was overstepping boundaries already by having a weird, wolf connection to her.

Though the two believed their stares were discrete, there was one pair of eyes in the room that thought otherwise.

Freshly up, dressed and ready to take on the day, Mary Margaret was watching her best friend and the princess she knew vaguely to be Belle French leer at each other over her morning cup of coffee. The wide smiled and slight blushes she spotted constantly appearing gave her solid ground to stand on with her quickly forming suspicion.

Snow White knew about Red's 'condition', and once she was in power had done all she could to read up on it. With the position that she had held, she had had access to book and scholars at her whim, but yet could not find a true cure for her friend. Though it did leave her with what she considered a fair bout of knowledge.

If her idea of what was happening was happening, it brought a smile to Snow's lips. Ruby deserved happiness, in whatever form she could get it. Thought what smile was short lived. She knew what came with finding a mate, and she what that mate would have to deal with too.

Deciding that she would talk to her best friend was an instant thought and, quickly paying and thanking a –lately always smirking, and now she had an idea why- Granny, Mary Margaret left the diner and headed home to see if she could find any of those books.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ruby!" The brunette groaned at the voice that, as delightful and energetic as it was, she didn't want to hear. She was exhausted after her day of work, and just after closing the diner for the night, her head aching and her wolf howling to run, even though it was nowhere near wolfstime.

Ruby had noticed her inner wolf's more prominent fixture in her persona that morning, when she woke up and nearly relied to Pongo's long howls for breakfast on the other side of town. Though Granny had explained that this would happen, it still came as a bit of a shock to the young woman. After all, even she couldn't get away with some of the things her baser instincts told her too.

Shaking her head as she turned towards the owner of the voice, she gave a small, tired smile towards her best friend, who quickly fell into step with her. "Hey Snow."

The raven haired beauty walked with her head down, her eyebrows creased in the way that told Ruby that she had something she wanted to say, but wasn't sure how to begin. She exhaled a laughing breath at the older woman, one that Mary Margaret caught and fought to stop herself from rolling her eyes at. Her old self always overcame her Storybrooke self when she spoke to Ruby, and David of course.

"So, uh… I have something to say." Ruby scoffed at the words, but remained silent. "But I'm not sure how to phrase it, without making it too blunt."

Ruby's smile slowly became brighter while her friend floundered. Obviously she had a question or maybe some big news, why couldn't she just say it?

On the receiving end of one of Red's _looks_, Snow broke. "What's going on with you and Belle?"

At the sound of her name, Ruby suddenly became so much more interesting in both the conversation, and getting away. But she knew Snow. Snow would see right through any lie she threw at her with ease. And even as it was, she knew that look. Mary Margaret already had an idea of what was going on.

Like a caring mother, Snow sensed her friend's worry, and a gentle arm wrapped around Ruby's waist. "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious,"

"No," Ruby's voice was almost sharp. "No, just… it's a wolf thing." A look at Snow confirmed it. "But you knew that anyway didn't you?"

Snow nodded and smiled. "Is it _the _wolf thing? The one I'm thinking of?"

Ruby rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Maybe…"

Honestly, she hadn't known how Snow would react. Red had suspected she would simply be a little excited or give knowing looks every time she saw them together –like Granny-, but boy was she wrong.

The tiny woman let out a noise unlike anything she had ever heard before, and her wolf cringed away from the high pitch it came in, forcing her to take a step back from the now beaming school teacher. Mary Margaret did a strange leaning hug that propelled her forwards enough to get her arms around Ruby's neck without damage and she clung on there.

"Oh my god, Red! This is amazing, you've met your mate. Your actual mate!" Snow's joy radiated off of her, and Ruby couldn't help but smile. "This is perfect, Ruby. Tell me what it's like, no leaving out details!"

Ruby barked a laugh. "Um… I don't know where to start. She's perfect. My wolf howls every time she's around and her scent, I can't even start describing what its life, Snow. Being around her makes me feel so right. I know it sounds cheesy but I feel whole now.

"When I'm without her all I want is to find her and hold her as close to me as I can." She breathed in slowly. "I hugged her yesterday, and it took all y will power to let her go. I spent the whole night fighting myself to stay out of her room."

Snow stood there watching her with an excited look in her eyes. "You're completely under her spell, aren't you?"

Ruby nodded, lazily. "But she's Mr Gold's girlfriend. True Love, remember."

That called Snow down. "Oh, I forgot about that," A thoughtful look came over her face. "You have to tell her eventually."

"I know" came Ruby's automatic response, but Mary Margaret saw her hesitation and sent her a sad look. "I just… don't know how to do it, that's all. It's not exactly something common, that you can just go up to a person and say!"

Snow smiled. "Ruby, if living through all our adventures together has taught me nothing, it's that you should go with your heart, and not your mind. Do what your heart is telling you to do. And you and I both know what that is." She smirked – a rare sight- before continuing. "And we know Belle feels that same way."

"How?"

"Because what I saw in the diner was no nothing, trust me, she is not subtle."

Ruby let out a shaky breath and smiled at her friend. Snow always knew how to make her feel better, she just always had the perfect words ready. But her best friend nodded off her grateful look.

"Go on, go plan something. Or do it right now. Whatever your heart tells you!" Ruby gave her a nudge before jogging back to the B&B. Belle was there, in her room. And now, with Snow's words and her own confidence spurring her on, Ruby felt brave enough to talk.


	3. Chapter 3

It was well into the evening before Ruby got up the courage to head back towards the inn. Snow's word rang heavily on her and, though she knew they were true, she still feared going to Belle and revealing this part of herself to her, especially what that would mean for Belle.

She had spent the rest of her day in the woods, wandering aimlessly, deep in thought while the wind whipping around her, sending her hair flying around her in tendrils. The cold had no effect on her though, as lost in thought as she was (and due to her wolf), and for once she was thankful to be different from others.

Throughout this hike, Ruby's mind was elsewhere entirely. She envisioned how she was going to tell Belle about her wolf, and what had happened. She saw every possible reaction Belle could give from every possible way she could tell it, and liked almost none of them. There was the odd one that seemed realistic and that didn't involve that much screaming though. She clung to these ones.

But all of that walking and thinking led her to the one place a part of her longed for and another feared completely. Her own freaking home; Granny's Inn.

Now, the wolf urged her on to Belle's room, to just climb the stairs and burst in and declare everything to the girl, but both Ruby and Red had other ideas. Her cursed side wanted nothing more than to drop her usually cocky act and run to her room to hide, but her normal side was the one she was listening too.

Red wanted her to calmly go to Belle, tell her everything, and then hopefully leave with her tail between her legs and stay hidden in her room forever more; a perfect combination of the other two.

Her breathing was anything but even; anyone who saw her would bet she had run miles to get to where she stood. Ruby's stomach had long since twisted itself into knots, and she knew if she did not do this tonight, she wouldn't sleep with the pain it was giving her.

Her eyes wandered up the building, to the window of the room she knew to be Belle's. Her mate was in there, yet she was scared to see her. _What kind of wolf was she anyway?_

With a huff that ended in a sigh, Ruby slowly made her way into the quiet building. It must have been almost midnight, as Granny did not meet her at the door with a frown and a grumble. The thought made Red smile while she was locking the door behind her, closing the place up for the night. But really, she was just procrastinating.

Even the stairs seemed like a daunting task. The dark, almost eerie setting that the familiar steps had fallen under spooked her and sent her nerves higher still. _Damn it!_ She thought, her wolf now growling at her to get up to Belle's room, and fast.

Maybe she wasn't ready for this, maybe she should wait a few days and actually plan something out before she bore all like this… but it was too late to think like that. She was almost right outside the door that hid the woman she longed to see from her desperate, scared eyes.

She could hear Belle moving. She was on the bed, her breathing soft and steady, her fingers brushing the pages of a book, barely touching them at all really. Ruby smiled, she expecting nothing different from the woman. Her knuckled rapped on the hard, wooden door before she could even think about running off, and with fear growing steady in her stomach, she listened to Belle get up quietly, the springs creaking a little, and make her way towards the door.

"Ruby," Belle angelic voice stunned her visitor for a moment, "What're you doing here? It's late."

The petite brunette had just been finishing off her novel, and in the back of her mind wondering where she could immediately find one to replace it, when she heard the knock on the door and her heart had skipped a beat. Though she had put this down to fright, she now knew better. She'd been missing her friend all day and, though she couldn't even think in, she had even daydreamed about her that evening while she was trying to read.

"Can I come in?" Ruby's voice was almost formal, but light, and Belle nodded her consent, moving out of the way to let the taller woman enter her rented home. She was suddenly hit with nerves, inviting Ruby in like this, but told herself she was being silly. _She owns the place for goodness sake!_

Red was pacing, her head down and her shoulder hunched forward, her eyes looking anywhere and everywhere but at Belle, whose own gaze followed her every move. Ruby, filling with adrenaline and fearless, was horrified to realise that everything she had planned to say had left her, and now she had nowhere to start.

"Belle… what do you know about magic?"

Belle shrugged. "Um, only what Rumpelstiltskin taught me, that all magic comes with a price and I assume that there's light and dark…" she narrowed her eyes in wonder. "I haven't actually read too much about it."

Ruby smiled, halting her pacing so she could actually look at the smaller woman while they spoke. "You like books?"

"I love books, I would read all day if I could." Belle replied. "But what does this have to do about magic?"

Ruby licked her lips. "I was just wondering," _procrastinating... again! _"What do you know about," she paused for a moment and gathered her courage. "werewolves?"

Belle shook her head. "A little, not much…" she took a step in the waitress's direction, waiting as Ruby swallowed and her eyes widened. "Is that what you wanted to tell me? That you're a werewolf?" Her eyes went into a state of wonder, and a little confusion.

Ruby could swear she could hear the gears in Belle's head turning at such speeds that she was afraid the beauty may get ahead of her in this. The shorted woman's mouth had dropped open in her thought, and Ruby couldn't help but smile just a little at her expression. _Best give her a minute to process even this._

In this minute, Ruby exhaled slowly. This was going better than she expecting, thought she hadn't exactly gotten to the important part yet, Belle still haven't freaked out over the whole werewolf thing and that was a start. A good start too. But she wasn't anywhere done.

"Werewolves and wolves are pretty similar, how much do you know about them?"

Belle snapped out of her trace, a wondering glow about her, a thirst for knowledge that Ruby respected. "Wolves… they are very co-dependant, live and hunt in packs, with the Alpha pair leading the others." She bit her bottom lip, drawing Red's eyes. "Not too much actually."

While she was talking, Ruby was beginning to work herself into panic. The confidence she had felt before was fading fast, and leaving her with nothing but pure terror. She didn't know what to say to the girl in front of her, so delighted as she was to be sharing her thoughts and wisdom, she didn't want to upset or confuse her.

Belle was quick to sense this of course, and took a step closer to the tall brunette, which only seemed to make her stomach twist more. "Ruby? Are you okay?" Belle's concerned eyes were too much for her. "You know I don't care what you are, I still what to be your friend, right?"

Belle was too close now; Ruby could easily take a step forward and be flush against her. _Stopstopstopstopstopstop._ The wolf didn't like the distance at all, but Ruby took safety in it and held her ground, even as Belle met her eyes and she felt her resolve crumbling, she didn't move.

Belle on the other hand, couldn't stop moving, her legs had completely taken over and kept moving her forwards. Not that she was complaining exactly, but she didn't want to scare the obviously worried girl in front of her. Almost by accident, she looked up –barely a glance, but yet she was trapped in seconds- and met the eyes of the woman staring down at her with such a burning emotion she couldn't place.

Instantly, all coherent thoughts were lost, and the room fell into silence. Belle was closer now, but neither even seemed to notice at that point, as entranced as they were. Just like in the diner, they were left with nothing more in their minds but want and a little confusion –mostly on Belle's part.

Closer and closer, until there was almost no room between them. Who moved and closed the gap was a mystery that they didn't care enough for to figure out.

Ruby's blurred mind was a mess. She wanted Belle so badly, in any and every way the petite woman would have her, but the tiny, almost drowned out piece of her told her that she should stop everything. She came here to speak to Belle, nothing more, nothing less, and she couldn't afford to mess it up any more than this.

"Belle…" her voice broke the spell, and she stepped away, her heart thudding in her chest loud enough that she feared Belle could hear it. She could hear Belle's.

"I came here for a reason," she said, wringing her hands a little, "But I'm not sure how to say it."

Belle, with controlled, yet laboured, breathing took a step forward, an almost laughing '_what are you talking about, I don't mind_' look in her eyes that Ruby wanted to wipe away but loved at the same time. She took a little false courage from those light blue eyes, and shook her head when Belle's lips parted.

"It's a wolf thing. I'm Alpha, so it's a little different from the other wolves." Belle's face was back to thoughtful, searching through her archives of facts trying to find ones that could help her friend speak her mind. "Do you know anything about that?"

Belle, biting her bottom lip just in the slightest, looked up into Ruby's eyes, but kept them moving –she'd learned how to control that. "They're the leaders, show their status by body language and stay with the one mate for life…" She paused. "I'm sure that's all that defines them, Ruby."

There it was, that little note in her voice that told Ruby she may just be catching up to it all, without Ruby even having to tell her. In a way, it was relieving; Belle very well could know by now and hadn't freaked out. Yet it was one of her greatest fears in another. Belle could know, this was it. Like ripping off a band aid.

It reminded Ruby a little of coming out to her Granny when she was a teenager. She'd known she was bisexual since before she could remember, it was just something she was. She never even told anyone else, they just caught on. But she had found that she wanted to actually tell her only remaining family properly, and that's just what she did. These nerves were the same ones she'd witnessed then. The shakiness, the true terror of rejection, and the small beads of sweat she felt growing on her lower back. All too familiar.

But while Ruby was swept away in these overwhelming –admittedly panicky- thoughts, Belle's head was starting to ache. _There is no possible way that's what she means, no way. Then why isn't she saying anything else? Because… I don't know! Yeah you do. _She was having a conversation with herself and whining none the less. Great. Fantastic.

"Ruby?" she finally spoke. "Please just tell me."

Ruby's pleading eyes asked her to just drop it, but now she needed to know. Just like getting to the end of a good book, it was exciting and terrifying and gave her than sense of knowing. She needed to know if what she was thinking (or what half of her thought) was true.

The waitress sighed. "I think you know."

"I do too, but I want to hear you say it."

Ruby's loud sigh cracked in the middle, and her voice came out barely a whisper, though she was sure she didn't mean it to be. "Alpha werewolves mate for life too…"

Belle nodded, urging her on, her eyes deep and almost concerned for _Ruby_. In her own mind, Ruby felt as if she didn't deserve it, the sympathy. That should have been saved for the woman who had the perfect life as it was, her True Love at her side and everything she needed in the world to be happy, without Ruby's _little problem_ getting in the way of that.

Ruby didn't speak another word and Belle understood that she wouldn't. "Ruby… is it me?" Her voice was surprisingly strong, confident. It confused, even startled, her companion a little. Belle seemed calm, relaxed even. Though, as Ruby hastened to remind herself, Belle didn't understand like she did. This meant a fair bit more than mating.

It was that innocent ignorance that finally did it for Ruby. Overwhelmed and frightened, all she wanted to do was bolt. Every part of her screamed to run from the girl who was once again advancing with that caring look in her eyes that only made Red feel so much worse, and so she did.

Ruby's sudden burst of speed and movement alarmed Belle enough for her to get past and out the door within seconds, and all Belle had to remind herself that it wasn't all in her head was the breeze that blew by her as her friend moved. "Ruby!"

Her shout was to no avail. Ruby was gone faster than Belle could turn around to see the door across the hall slam shut.

Sucking in a slow, deep breath, Belle suddenly felt very much alone in her tiny room. The air was cold and the night silent, leaving her thoughts to echo through her brain like the voice of a ghost, eerie and deep, sending shivers down her spine.

Belle knew nothing about Werewolves, her kingdom had had little encounters with them and when she had they were short lived and without injury or even danger, just the packs passing through. She had of course seen the packs together, the way that they depended and lived for one another had always fascinated her, but the worry that her father would discover her researching them stopped her, and once she was in Rumple's castle, she had other things on her mind.

Climbing up onto her bed, stripping out of the clothes she had worn for two days straight as she went, Belle's thoughts continued to circulate. Ruby just told her she was her mate. _Her mate!_ Even she knew that had to be a big deal, big enough that Ruby had run from her like that. But at least now she knew what was happening.

She didn't have a crush on her… well she did but there was something else behind it that made it even stronger. Ruby felt the same way too, and though the thought made her almost giggle, she had more pressing things plaguing her than that.

Primarily, Rumpelstiltskin.

She loved him, she really did, and she knew she always would. What they had was True Love, she had seen it with her own eyes and felt it in her own heart. But This (as she was now referring to what Ruby had said) was different. Very different.

True Love was easy, definite and, from what she had read, unbreakable in any case other than death. That's what the books had told her. But yet, here she was. Alone, without her Love. And why? Because he was power hungry and it became too much, and if there was one thing she couldn't handle, it was having no power over herself, and forcing it upon others.

Belle knew she would not sleep tonight, with her emotions high and her mind whirring. She would have to find some way to do research on everything. Snow White or maybe Cinderella could help her… but for the night, nerves and guilt would gnaw at her from the inside out. Guilt for making Ruby so scared, nerves for what was sure to come the following day.

So she sat, with her head against the headrest and her eyes closed, and idly wondered if Ruby was sleeping either.


	4. Chapter 4

Belle's light steps bounced off the hard concrete, such was the ferocity of her gait. Her clothing was ruffled, and her eyes were bloodshot, but she had a reason to be up at six am, and to be storming down the road as if she were on the warpath. And that reason was in the process of opening the diner right about that moment, if her memory served her correctly.

Ruby Lucas.

Belle was tired because of that girl. Tired, confused, and utterly at the end of her rope. Lack of sleep, hunger and general confusion had left her without rope. So there was no longer any rope. This was why she, as mentioned, was storming up the footpath, her eyes seeing nothing and her head spinning ever so slightly, at six freaking am.

She needed to talk to the newly discovered werewolf. Correction, she needed to talk to her the night before, but she didn't gather the courage to go to her room, so she had decided that she would get up from her sleepless night early for breakfast (to confront Ruby), when there would be (hopefully) no one else around.

Thankfully, she didn't have to walk far to get to the diner. The chilly morning air bit at her bare arms and sent stabs of pain through her chest. The sun wasn't even fully risen in the sky, and the morning still seemed moonlit.

So entranced in her fight against cold and her blurred, messy thoughts born of exhaustion and wonder as she was, Belle failed to notice that she was not alone.

Later, when she would try to justify to herself why turned or hadn't seen the shadow, felt as though she was being followed, or even heard his cane clicking on the path, she would say it was all due to her tiredness, no other reason. But a small part of her knew she was lying. She just really didn't want to hear him while her brain was so muddled.

"Belle!" That was the moment when she knew she would have to face him. His familiar voice brought a little relaxation through her body, comforting her. "Please, Belle, speak to me."

She turned towards his hobbling form, glancing up into sad eyes. But Golds eyes never quiet did show sadness. It always looked more like loss. It hurt a lot more to see than sadness. It was a rare sight, seeing him so rattled up, and Belle knew it was her doing, but at that point, she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

She knew what he wanted; she always could read him easily, like an open book. But, she would let him tell her what he wished, as usual. That's was how they worked, mutual understanding and listening. But that morning, Belle had pressing questions on her mind that she needed answers to, and the restlessness inside her rolled off like mist from mountains.

Gold knew this of course. He could read her too. "Belle, I'm sorry." Blue eyes flew up to meet his in an instant. Now that was something she didn't hear every day. "I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, and I understand now that I must have hurt you badly." He drew in a slow breath. "From now on, all decisions I make I will turn to you for guidance. Just… Belle, can you give me another chance?"

Belle paused for a second, and that second sealing her mind. A sliver of doubt was all she needed to see. Why did she doubt this man? Her True Love? Belle knew extremely little about love, and what she did know was almost all from books, but she did know that she should be desperate to return to Rumpelstiltskin's side.

Her thoughts flew. She had left him in the mines after the stunt with her father a few days prior, and it hadn't even been with a glance back. She had just… left him there. Even back in her homeland, leaving him had been quite the decision. Maybe it was because she knew she couldn't get to far away from him here. Or maybe, like she sensed, this world was as different as its people were.

She wouldn't lie to herself, she didn't exactly know. There was no books on this subject that she knew of, and she had yet to venture onto this 'internet' that she had heard a little about from snippet conversations. She felt different in this world, and in her gut, she took this information in. Did that mean everything was different? Even love?

With one simple conversation, Belle was confused even further. If her intuition was right, and she trusted it, then she knew nothing. What right did she have to make life altering decisions when she was lost in this town's ways alone?

Rumpelstiltskin watched her patiently, almost listening to her mind whir as she thought, his body slowly feeling the effects of his worry. Belle had never taken this long to answer him, or anyone for that matter. And after all he had said, what he was asking of her, it made him nervous.

"Belle?" she shook her head, waking up a little, and sighed a long and slow sigh that did nothing for the man's sudden twisted stomach.

"Give me a day?"

There it was. Gold smiled his crooked smile and nodded as his heart broke at the sound of his loves voice. He had finally chased her off, just as a part of him always feared he would. She was the light in his life ever since he had lost his son, whose name was locked in a vault in the back of his mind, along with far too much to share with another being.

Rumpelstiltskin had loved and lost before, and the well-remembered feeling was no friend to him in that moment. Belle's sad, tight lipped smile gave him no joy as she brushed around him, back on her path to the diner. She didn't look back to him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Belle's heart pounded in her chest. What had she just done? She had seen his heart in her hands but had done nothing but crush it, without even a thought for his pain.

Now all the pain was coming down on her, and pulling her down with its weight. It hurt, a lot, but Belle knew to pull through it. The morning was escaping her, and she knew she couldn't go another day without talking to Ruby and finding out what all this meant.

It didn't take long for her to spot the taller brunette as soon as she entered the diner. It was almost empty at the early hour, and the waitress was leaning on her elbows on the counter, her head in her hands and her eyes fighting to stay open, but perking up a little at the sound of the bell. But as soon as her bright eyes fell on Belle, Ruby was awake and standing. Belle didn't even see her move.

"Hi," Belle spoke first, smiling up at the other woman to try and relax her, failing. She looked up at the dark rimmed eyes of the taller woman and wondered if she got as little sleep as she had.

Ruby swallowed, her eyes slightly wider than normal. She reminded Belle of a spooked horse, like the ones back at Gaston's stables, about to either bolt or kick out. "Hey…"

Belle took a step closer to Red. "Can we talk?" Ruby's stance was defensive, feet shoulder width apart and arms folded on her chest. It was discouraging, but Belle was determined, and held a stubborn spirit that relived Ruby's easily. "Please?"

Red lowered her eyes for a moment in steady thought, and Belle allowed her the luxury. She was in no rush. With nothing but the sound of Granny rattling around in the kitchen, the two women stood in silence, before Ruby's train of thought came to an end, and she offered a weak smile up as a silent 'thank you'.

"Okay, but can we go somewhere else?" she glanced into the kitchen. "Granny's listening to us right now…" Belle smiled when Ruby glared towards her grandmother, who only seemed to make more noise from her place in front of the cooker. "I have a place in mind."

Belle allowed herself to be lead from the diner in silence, trailing behind Ruby from a respective distance. Now that she had finally been let in on everything that was happening, she didn't exactly know where she and Ruby stood in their relationship anymore, or what the wolf would be comfortable with her doing. Would Ruby get scared if she moved closer? Or run if she brushed her arm with her fingertips? A part of her said yes, another part wanted to ignore everything and just run her hand through dark, thick hair, just to see what it really felt like.

Belle blinked. Where did those thoughts come from?

Before she knew it, they were standing in front of a huge building in the centre of town under the clock. Belle had noticed this particular building before -how could she not, it was huge, and all boarded up? -and her curiosity had been caught, but not enough to go exploring. Ruby was on her knees, messing with the lock by the time Belle had woken herself up. "What are you doing?"

Ruby looked up at her with a small smile. "Letting us in."

Belle's eyes went wide. "We're _breaking_ in?"

The waitress looked back to her task, her eyebrows knitting together in concentration. "It's been abandoned for years." She made a strange noise Belle couldn't place, but it could have been a lazy scoff or a gruff laugh. "And I think you'll actually like this."

Before Belle could open her mouth to ask another question, Ruby laughed in triumph and the door clicked open. Quickly, Belle found herself being ushered into the pitch dark room and heard the door being closed behind them. Ruby was slowly moving around -looking for the light switch- for a moment, before the huge room was lit up and Belle's breath was stolen.

She should have recognised the familiar scent of old books as soon as she entered the room, and now they were everywhere around her. Stacks and shelves of books that she had never heard of littered as far as she could see, and she let out a gasp of delight. "Ruby, what is all this?"

Ruby smiled, looked around a little with a proud look in her eyes. "The old library. It was shut down… well I can't remember it ever being open actually." She smiled. "Do you like it?"

"I've always loved books," Belle said as she ran her hands across a shelf of uneven journals. "But I haven't seen so many in one place in years…"

Red watched as her friend wandered through the building, leaning lightly against one of the stacks. She herself had visited this place numerous times. It was a nice escape, no one ever thought to go looking in the library if she disappeared for a while.

Sadly, Belle wouldn't be distracted to long, even by something as amazing as an entire library full of books she had yet to even read the titles of. So in no time, she was back at Ruby's side.

"I know you're trying to distract me." _Was I being that obvious?_ Ruby thought as Belle smiled up at her coyly. "But I'm going to prioritize…" she paused. "Okay so how should we start this?" All of a sudden, Ruby couldn't talk. All the words she knew just left her and she was quiet, waiting for her friend to speak before her.

Belle nodded. "Okay, how about… just be honest with me okay? And I'll be honest with you." Red agreed silently and Belle proceeded on with her questioning as soon as she knew she had her undivided attention. Ruby's leg was jumping with nerves, and Belle wished she could calm her, but knew she couldn't.

"Ruby," The woman in question smiled and nodded, "Am I your mate?" and with that the smile was gone, but Red nodded her silent answer. Belle mirrored the movement, hiding her emotion. She could deal with everything without making the werewolf even more worried about all this. She forced her breathing back under control and carried on.

"What exactly does that mean, if you don't mind me asking?"

Ruby shrugged until Belle raised her eyebrows ever so slightly, and she talked. "I don't know, Granny never really told me anything, she said I'd just know." She scoffed lightly to herself. "She was wrong, I have no idea what's happening." She looked down at the floor for a second, the light in her eyes gone just like that. "Belle I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"I heard you the first time. Why?"

Ruby kicked the floor. "I'm just sorry. You had your life perfect already and I've messed it up." She leaned her head back against the books.

"It's not your fault." Belle wasn't really sure what to say. "You didn't mess up my life by the way. My life isn't over, this is another 'adventure' in my life, and I don't hold you responsible for anything. You didn't choice me, the wolf chose me." Belle assumed that last part, but when the corner of Ruby's lips tilted up, she knew she had said the right thing.

Ruby kept her gaze for a moment, and Belle caught sight of the flecks of gold in her eyes for the first time, for just a split second. That was enough. _Wow_, she thought with a small, barely there smile, _that's the wolf... amazing... _Quickly, she snapped herself out of it and Ruby shook her head.

"Um… so I think we should find out some more before we do anything else, okay?" Belle stated, holding her head up high, a small blush blossoming across her neck, as if she had been caught doing something wrong. Her heart told her she was doing nothing wrong, but she didn't really trust herself anymore. She had been so desperate to get much, _much_ closer to Red since she met her that all faith she had in her heart was waning. She was in love with Gold. Ruby nodded.

"Granny should know some more, I'm sure she's tell us if we ask." She answered. "Do you want to stay here for a bit first though?" she blushed. "I don't really want to go to her right now, she's going to laugh at us… me."

Belle smiled. "It's better to just get it over with."

"I know but I still don't want to do it." Ruby's eyes turned begging and Belle fought the urge to laugh.

"You're giving me the puppy eyes right now!"

"Are they working?" The 'puppy eyes' got even bigger and Belle wavered a little under them, but held strong.

"No. Now come on, Wolfie," her mocking tone wasn't missed and Ruby's eyes switched into a glare as lightning speed. "Trust me; it'll be over before you know it."


	5. Chapter 5

The walk to Granny's was silent, and awkward.

Belle, who carried three random books under her arm that she had stolen from the library, walked alongside the werewolf with an odd gait, as if she had forgotten how to walk normally all of a sudden. Ruby kept her gaze to the footpath, careful to keep a friendly distance from the other brunette.

As much as Ruby desperately wanted to be nearer to her mate, she was worried about scaring her. Belle was so kind and understanding, almost too trusting from the moment they met and Ruby was grateful for it. That Belle could even be around her without feeling disgust was a gift in itself.

So many people she knew despised werewolves with a passion she couldn't imagine holding in such a cruel fashion, and so many people would find the situation Belle was in as threatening or even sickening. Even in a pack, having a female mate wasn't exactly celebrated the way finding her partner would have been had they been male. In fact it was barely even registered any more than a few strange looks.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby snuck a look at the smaller woman. Belle didn't look scared, or even worried, just a bit curious, the way she had been in the diner a few days earlier at the sight of all the strange new things. Ruby smiled at the thought. Belle was so naïve to everything in this world, but she handled it with such an ease that at a glance, no one would know she was lost. Ruby couldn't have asked for a better person to have to go through this with.

Well, someone who could return the love-like draw she felt would have been nice too.

Ruby small smile she didn't even know she still kept up fell at the thought, but she didn't let it show when Belle looked over to her a second later, a concened look in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Ruby threw on a brighter set of eyes and a tight lipped smile. "Yeah, just thinking." Thankfully, Belle let it drop, only moving a little closer to show that she was in fact there for her friend. Ruby understood. It was always easier to communicate in body language, like she did as a wolf. There was no way of hiding emotions through this language, and no need to try and find words to explain herself.

Relived Belle knew how to speak through her body, Ruby pushed the door open and held it for Belle without really thinking, blushing bright when she smiled her thanks. It felt like she was Red again, before everything, just living as a normal person, blushing and smiling.

Granny spotted them the moment they entered, and with a quick glance exchanged between herself and her granddaughter, left the diner in the hands of her waitresses and led the two to the empty back room.

When Granny turned to face them, her face was emotionless. She knew her family, and Ruby wouldn't want her reacting until she heard the whole story. She also had promised herself very early in life that, when Ruby found her mate, she wouldn't embarrass her like she always teased she would.

Belle felt a little uncomfortable now, under Granny's eyes. She didn't know why, she had been watched by Granny plenty of times, whether that be while paying for a meal or a glance or just curiosity on the older woman's part. But this felt different. Granny's whole aura felt strange.

Looking to Ruby for reassurance, she found her in a similar state. The dark haired woman was fidgeting with her hands, her jaw clenched so tight Belle thought it had to be painful. Why was Ruby suddenly so worried speaking to her grandmother?

"So?" Granny cleared the fog that had formed around them. "You want me to teach you?"

Belle kept her eyes on Ruby, but smiled to Granny in her peripheral vision. She patiently waited for Ruby to wake from her statuesque hold on her own body. Belle shivered. It was freezing in the back room, the freezer keeping it cool, she suspected. But neither Lucas seemed to realise it.

Finally, Ruby loosened up and Granny sighed at her. "Really, Ruby, this isn't going to be that bad!" she scolded with a look that made Belle smile a little.

Granny mirrored her. "I didn't expect Ruby to find her mate this early, I thought it'd be years… but I remember most of this stuff." She pulled three stools out from under the counter and gestured for the girls to sit. Ruby still moved robotically.

A part of her knew she was overreacting to all this, but she was terrified. Granny could make or break her here. She could open Belle's eyes to what she had wound up in, and then Belle would be gone, and Ruby knew that would hurt. Having Belle as her friend would be more than enough, but that could fall through her fingers far too easily.

Ruby knew so little about everything too, only the stuff Granny had mentioned in passing; the draw, the desperate need to protect. The older woman always wanted to put it off 'til she had found them', and Red had always just accepted it. Now though, she wished she had pressed harder, before everything came down on her.

"Here, I brought some books," Granny had wandered over to the cupboards as Ruby thought, and retrieved two huge books, dropping them with a gentle huff in front of Belle. "Because I know Red won't want me explaining too much."

Belle could hear Ruby's sigh of relief and idly wondered what made Ruby so worried about speaking to her remaining family. "Belle, if you would like to go back to your room and study them, Ruby has to stay for her shift now." The responding groan from the taller woman was louder than needed, but at least she was relaxed again.

Ruby didn't want to leave Belle again. The night before when they were separated was horrible. She couldn't sleep, didn't have the motivation to do anything but silently wish she didn't tell Belle anything.

Belle went to stand, the two books, as well at the ones she took earlier, tucked under her arms. Ruby, a little more relaxed now, grabbed her forearm gently and leaned up to whisper, "I left the library open for you," before leaning away with a contagious grin.

"Thanks." Belle mock-whispered back with a wide grin that rivalled Ruby's as she found her way out of the room. "Bye Granny, bye Ruby!" she turned to wave to them on her way out and Ruby's responsive smile was melted. Granny watched with an amused expression as the door swung shut and Ruby smile faded.

"I know that look," she commented, startling Red back down to the real world. "I remember it well."

Ruby shook her head. "I can handle it, Granny. I'll just treat her as a friend. It'll be fine." Even Ruby didn't believe her words. She already missed Belle terribly, after barely five minutes. "I know you have something you want to say."

Granny huffed at her granddaughter's intuition. "Red, I've told you what finding your mate means, and there is no way to be just friends with your mate. You'll be one hell of a possessive, clingy friend…" Ruby growled.

"I can do it," she said slowly. "I don't want to mess with her life."

"You won't be messing with her life, Red. She'll want you around."

"I don't want this 'thing' forcing her to want me!" Ruby said firmly, standing from her chair to pace the room. "I don't want to force people to do things, it feels wrong."

Granny's eyes were soft. She had raised Red, and she had never seen her so frustrated. But she understood what it was like under a wolf's influence, how she felt like she had no control. She too wouldn't wish the like on any human being, especially someone she was bound to. "It will be okay, Ruby." The brunette parted her lips to speak but Granny cut her off.

"If she really wants to leave, she can and will. This doesn't force people to do anything they truly don't want too."

Ruby let out a sigh in response, but threw her kin a thankful glance to show her gratitude. Granny returned the emotion with a gentle smile. "So… how about I actually teach you what's happening to you?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Belle's heart thundered in her chest as she carefully placed the heavy books on her bed, her arms screaming their silent thanks. The old pages crackled under the dark leather covers and for a moment she worried she would rip them, even being as careful as she was.

Truthfully, she had been in her room for over an hour by that time, having spent a period of time in the library beforehand, simply playing with the two tomes in both locations for longer than she would ever admit to anyone. But even putting off reading the untitled books would get her nowhere, and she knew it.

At this point, she wasn't even sure why she was putting it off any longer. So much time had passed that her initial worry had faded into nothing but a slight curiosity that was always present when she had so much knowledge ready to be taken in, all at her fingertips, as it was now. But something held her back from opening the first tome and beginning.

The longer she sat watching the books, like she expected them to move, the more her wonder grew, and the more she itched to just take one. But yet she did not, instead simply lounging carefully on the edge of her bed, looking at the items that could write her a future.

The sun remained in the sky, though Belle knew it should be setting any minute, according to the distinct yellow tint to the light blue above and the silence of the birdsong she had become accustomed to. She needed to start if she was going to speak with Ruby again the next day, but she still didn't move.

"What am I doing?" she hissed to herself, the soft lilt of her accent calming her otherwise harsh tone. "I'm acting like an idiot…"

Belle knew she wasn't the one who had anything to fear, that was all Ruby, but sitting there alone in her slowly getting darker room, Belle did feel the nerves clinging to her stomach and creeping into her lungs. It hurt to breath. What did Ruby feel like if she felt like this?

Belle shook her head, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as her mind froze for a second. _Don't get distracted, think about yourself_. And think about herself she did. Just not enough to actually get the reading she needed to get done actually done.

She had always yearned for excitement, for something different and amazing to happen to her, but this was something she felt almost out of her depth about. It was something that had never crossed her mind when she thought about all the adventures she could have, _would have_, as soon as she was free of her father, and later, of Rumpelstiltskin.

Rumpel. Her mind had yet to wander to him, so busy and stressed as it was. She had promised him an answer to his plea, and for the next morning too, and she didn't have one. Guilt crashed onto her shoulders at the thought. How dare she even have to ask for a day to think? Never mind have no answer!

Belle felt her head spin and her eyes land on the books in front of her. Those books held the answers she actually needed as of right that minute, but she hadn't even tried to open them. And why, you might ask? Well, all she would have been able to reply with was_… _well that she was terrified of what they would tell her.

She knew nothing of wolves, or nothing that would serve her well enough now that she was in a situation for needing it. And if werewolves were any different, she would know nothing. There had been no books on the subject in either of her home's vast libraries that she had come across in her time.

Of course, she knew the basics when it came to wolves, alpha wolves. Darker colouring (well, in _grey_ wolves, but she would go as far as to assume Ruby was no different), a more threatening or poised stance. Leaders. Who stay with their mate forever…

Belle sighed, and with a sudden hardness in her eyes, reached forward to grab the first books. As she ran her hands across the tough cover, feeling the roughness under her un-calloused fingers, a stab of courage told her to read. She listened

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You can feel her can't you, what she's feeling, right now?"

Ruby sat Indian style in the back room of the (now closed) diner, her eyes closed and her lips parted to breath steadily, in and out in a slow, constant motion. Granny leaned against the wall casually; speaking in low tones so not to disrupt her granddaughter's concentration. It had taken her long enough to get Ruby to try this, and the thought of losing it now sent a jolt of the wolf's anger threw her bones.

The younger woman nodded slowly, her eyebrows knotted together while she sorted through everything she felt. Belle was flicking her emotions so fast, Ruby had to strain to catch each one. Granny told her it would get easier, but holding two people's emotions at once, as well as her wolf's was heavy in itself.

Granny smiled. Ruby was doing so well. "So it'll be much easier, you just need to get used to it."

Red squired. "I still don't like this, Granny. Being inside her head and all…"

"Oh, I have no doubt that she knows, or at least can sense something different, don't worry. She could even fight you off if she wanted too."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Belle did feel something. In her head.

It wasn't unpleasant. On the contrary, it was the complete opposite. It felt relaxing, like the trill of being free felt. Nerve wreaking at first, and then exhilarating. She slid off the bed, abandoning the book for a few moments, her head clouded in confusion.

She was almost finished the first one, and, even after a few moment of worry, found it interesting. So interesting in fact, that she didn't care to stop even for dinner. But then again, where could she go, besides the diner?

Belle stood in her room with a spinning head and a strange urge in her lower abdomen. She had been so encased in the legends of the Shapeshifters that this new intrusion had gone unnoticed for so long that once it did come to her attention, the strangeness of it had almost died off, leaving it seemingly normal.

But Belle was wise and knew for a fact that it was anything but normal, and even had a good idea of who it could be. Then again, there weren't too many people in town with the magical ability to enter a mind. So she squared her mind and fought against it, her head begging for her to stop as she did so, an almost smirking smile lighting up her features.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruby jumped in fright, her eyes shooting open with a look of confusion that startled even Granny. But Ruby only smiled up at the other woman, who had moved to stand above her worriedly. "Granny," Ruby breathed out, "I think she just knocked me out of her head." A small smile crept over Red's face for a moment.

She had hoped Belle would do that.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Belle fell back onto her bed with a huff, exhausted. "If that was you Ruby, I swear…" she let the curse die away into nothing, because she didn't know how to end it, and because she was anything but mad. In fact, she found it almost funny.

Maybe it was her lack of sleep again, or that she hadn't eaten, or because a freaking _werewolf_ who was her _mate_ was trying to break into her brain, but something in her whole situation made her laugh. A full bellied, out loud laugh that had her stomach shaking and her jaw aching in pain as she stretched out on the bed.

A small part of her knew it was late at night, and that there were other people trying to sleep in the small hotel, and told her to stop. But Belle felt as though she had earned the right to laugh. I mean, how many other people had a surprise that _that_? Not to many that she knew, that was for sure.

An even smaller part of her was telling her to be silent for more selfish reasons. She still had to read the second book, and figure out what she was going to tell her True Love, how she even felt about all this. She knew it her heart of hearts that she did love Gold, but this knew thing with Ruby… dulled it.

But instead of thinking of anything like that, Belle lay on her back, waiting for her laughter to stop and her breathing to calm, so she could return to reading.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"She fought me off, Granny!" Widow Lucas didn't know why her granddaughter was so happy about that particular part of their lesson, but she allowed the girl to grin happily at her with that toothy smile that always made her as happy as the young wolf. "This is amazing!"

Granny smiled down at Ruby, a small smile of her own lighting her face to tell Red she was happy for her, but not big enough to show her that she understood. Ruby didn't really care though, she was just happy. "You don't get it, she fought me off!"

Granny nodded again. She had long ago stopped trying to understand the girl in front of her, who bounced on her heels in happiness that her mate didn't want her in her head. But her kin understood that she didn't understand and responded with a very simple,

"I wanted her too."

**A/N: Sorry this took so long, I was away for the past week and given almost no time to write, between my clingy extended family and all the work I had to do... but yeah, I wrote this on my car journeys and hope it's okay. I promise the next one will be up faster!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, so I only wrote this yesterday, because I was only told that I was going away again (earlier than I thought) two days ago and I felt like I needed to at least have one chapter out before I go. I hope your all liking this so far.**

Ruby and Granny sat in the back room, cradling cups of boiling tea to protect them from the chilling air leaking from the refrigerator, that neither really cared to notice.

Today was their second lesson, cutting in once again to Ruby diner shifts so it didn't look to suspicious. Mainly to Belle of course, but Ruby had a vague idea what Belle knew almost everything going on in her life. It seemed like that anyway.

The past few days had been just the tiniest bit edgy, what with Belle making her way through the books on mating and probably overtaking Ruby's own knowledge on the subject, and starting to give her strange looks that the werewolf couldn't quite place without going into her head, but she didn't like to do that anymore. That one time had left here with a horrible headache. That's and the whole… it's morally wrong thing had kept her pretty far away from trying that ever again.

That and Belle's mind was freaking complicated.

Ruby's boot clad left foot bounced off the ground like a basketball. These conversations always left her with far too much pent up energy born of far too much stress.

The worst part was that she couldn't even stay away from Belle for too long, so she had no choice but to be watched with Belle's wondering gaze that told her that those books were far more descriptive than she would have liked them to be. She wasn't even sure what was in them! It made her want to groan and drop her head into her arms to hide, but she liked watching her mate read to much to dare.

The question of: "What will happen if Belle rejects me?" hung in the air like a thick fog, making everything around her feel infuriatingly slow and hazy. Granny had lifted her cup to her lips to take a quick sip before answering, but the action seemed to take a lifetime for the young waitress.

Everything took I lifetime lately; the sunrise that allowed her to get up, her shifts at the diner, preparing (Belle's) food. Everything she did was too long doing and it frustrated her. Everything frustrated her. This of course added to her stress which ruined her sleeping pattern which led her to spending even more nights waiting for the sun to rise, which took a _lifetime._

Exhaling softly, she waited for her grandmother to speak. She wasn't even sure she really wanted to know anything anymore, but leaving it and not learning anything while Belle ate through those books like a shark in a swimming pool got her nowhere, and she knew better than to let that happen.

So there she was, waiting as time trickled by for answers to questions she didn't fully even want to ask. So went her life for the last week.

Granny finally spoke, in a deadpan, rough voice that reminded Ruby of the schoolteacher from her memories that more than likely did not exist, "It will hurt, a lot. You can never recover from something like that Ruby."

Short, clipped sentences, all she'd been getting lately. But with a bit of a downtrodden look she usually got more in depth answers. Today was no different. "Mating is not True Love," her only kin continued. "True Love is a 'love so strong it can overcome all obstacles', except death of course. But a Mate is a part of you, in a way."

That caught Ruby's attention a little, and she leaned forward in her seat, her drink long forgotten, her fingers curled around the mug like it was her lifeline.

"When she hurts, you hurt. What she feels, so do you, to an extent. Some people can't even survive without their mate surviving too, but you have no need to worry about that." _Granny's mate must be dead, _Ruby realised with a jolt that shone a new light on the older woman for her. It must have been horrific…

Granny sighed. "If she doesn't want you around it will hurt, but you'll stay away whether you what to or not. You'll have no choice." Ruby opened her mouth to say something but Granny hushed her. "No, even if you sense her in a building, you won't be able to enter it if she doesn't want to see you. It's a strange thing to witness actually."

Red frowned. Belle could literally banish her from her life that easily? It seemed impossible to think about, but now that she was, she couldn't stop.

She imagined herself suffering that longing pain her grandmother had once explained, the one deep down inside her, the one of pure loss struggling to overcome her, which drove her towards a place she could not enter, but that she knew held the cure for her sickness. It felt like one of those nightmares where you couldn't move, and you could almost feel the thing you're trying to escape breathing on your neck. Where every muscle in your body screams at you to run but you can't. You have no decisions to make. The monster gets you. Except she couldn't simply wake up from this life.

Ruby felt sick. But Granny either didn't notice, or knew that she needed to finish teaching the girl she had raised. She was right of course, but that didn't mean anything to Red. "Belle should be able to read you too of course, and you can block her out too." Granny gulped down the rest of her tea. "In a few weeks, she'll sense you around too."

She finally looked up at her queasy granddaughter and offered a caring smile. "Take the rest of the day off, Red." Ruby quickly looked up to brush off the offer but again, she was interrupted. "Trust me; you'll be no use to anyone like this."

Ruby got up on shaking legs and smiled her thanks, before disappearing through the doors and out onto the streets

Where, of course, she found herself almost immediately outside the library. While two thirds of herself ordered her to stop and the remaining third howled her desires, Ruby pushed the door in almost violently, causing it to hit against the wall with a thud that echoed through the half furnished room. Ruby winced at the sound, wishing already to puff away in a cloud of smoke. Who knew she would ever dream of being Regina?

"Hello?" Belle's voice relaxed her and sent her blood pumping all at once. The effect the woman had on her had only increased over the last few days, and Ruby wasn't really sure how she felt about that.

On one hand, the plan of being Belle's friend and friend alone was quickly fading before her very eyes, no matter how much she tried to keep it strong. One the other, it felt really good to be around the girl now, it almost made up for all the lost sleep.

Red smiled at the voice, and wandered further into the huge room that she had become so well accustomed too. By now, she was sure she knew every tiny inch of the place, and it wasn't ad to find Belle. She was where she always was when she had given up trying to fix the place; sitting down with her back against the shelf furthest away from the door, with a heavy book on her lap.

Ruby loved when things stayed the same like that, and Belle was blessed with just that attribute. She loved habits, and picked them up even easier than Ruby herself did. Everything, from her long strides to her impatient humming was a habit. And Ruby found it both amusing (sometimes) and relaxing.

"Hi, just me." Ruby smiled down at the smaller woman with a small, slightly awkward, wave. Belle grinned back. "I know," she replied lightly, closing the book.

Belle pursed her lips. "Listen, we have to talk." That was never a good thing to hear… "About everything I mean."

Red nodded, looking everywhere but at Belle, settling instead on a spider web that still clung to the top edge of one of the shelves, despite all of Belle's attempts to dislodge it. She hoped she'd never end up in the same position. "So I finished those books…" Ruby's eyes, green that day, fell on Belle and suddenly she felt like a child again, unable to do anything but wait until her life was decided for her. "And I have to admit I'm not sure what to think anymore."

Ruby nodded again. What else could she do? "But," she almost felt her ears perk up. "I know I like having you around, a lot. Not even like this I like being around you all the time. And for now, that's all I care about." If Ruby had a tail at that moment it would come up from between her legs to wag.

Belle's confidence was beginning to fade, as Ruby noticed it almost always did after a burst of pure courage. This is where she knew she needed to boost her back up to give her the strength to say more. "I know what you mean, I'm the same." She said, in a shockingly quiet voice compared to what she was trying for.

Belle watched carefully as Ruby wandered towards her, with gentle steps that made no sound on the dusty floor. "The wolf loves being around you." She smiled a smile that turned into a scoff. "And she howls when you're not there, it keeps me up at night." Ruby quickly brushed off Belle's concerned gaze. "Don't worry I barely need it." That was true. She didn't need it, Belle was sleeping well.

"Look, Belle" Red began with determination. She wasn't going to wait for her mate to draw this out as much as possible, as a part of her knew Belle would. The other woman was too kind for her own good. "You can do as you please about this, if you want to ignore it I won't stop you."

Belle smiled that sugary smile that made Ruby's legs a little bit weak as she seemed to appear closer by magic, without really walking. "I know you have a lot to deal with about this, what with Mr Gold and… well _this…" _

Belle's mind was a little frazzled by this. She hadn't expected Ruby to ever bring this up, but she wouldn't lie and say she knew the girl well enough to make ascensions. Even now that she had finished her study, and knew everything about werewolves, she had yet to learn anything about Ruby. Or Red, for that matter.

But she knew what Ruby was doing. Belle understood the pain she could cause the waitress in front of her, who shuffled nervously waiting for an answer and clenched her jaw while she stared at the ceiling. And she knew what Ruby was risking speaking to her like this. A sudden surge of feeling for the girl seeped into her so fast it shocked her. But before she could process it, she was leaning up to press a gentle kiss against Ruby's cheek.

Red froze. So did Belle. She berated herself for not getting control of herself sooner, but what was done was done now, and so Belle quickly leaned back, but didn't give Ruby her personal space back.

You see, Belle was always one to be curious. And curiosity was one of the most dangerous things a person can let themselves be controlled by, especially while experimenting like Belle did. So she stayed close to the wolf woman, watched as a hundred different thoughts made their way lightning quick through her friend, emotions crossing her face blurring together to form a basic confusion.

"Belle," She had never heard that tone coming from Ruby before, but it was sharp, demanding. "Go away."

The librarian's eyebrows furrowed as she finally looked back to look Ruby in the eyes, and what she saw startled her. Ruby's eyes were dark, flecked with gold that was their only light. "Please, Belle…" she muttered through gritted teeth and suddenly, Belle knew she was serious. "Leave."

Backing up a few steps, Belle gave Ruby a wide berth of space, her heart pounding in her chest. She had pushed her to hard. "I'm sorry Ruby-"

"It's fine." Ruby interrupted her, finally looking her back in the eye with calm green irises. "I'm fine. I just… have to go." Before Belle could even open her mouth to speak, to say anything, she was gone, in barely a blink of an eye.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay I'm finally back, I have a load of stuff written so I might have a steady stream up updates for a couple of chapters, go me! Anyways enjoy.**

She felt sick now. Barely five hours in and already she felt weak kneed and tired. Short, stabbing pains made their way back and forth across her stomach and tricked her into thinking she had done something wrong while cooking dinner, but she figured it out pretty quick. It was guilt. And want. And that confusion that wouldn't leave her? It was Belle's.

That thing last night sent little jolts of fear through her. Her wolf had struggled hard against her that night; she had even lost her hold for a split second. Thank god she had backed off her in time…

Belle was stubborn, she had known that from the moment she had laid eyes on her, but she was sure she was smart. Smart enough to back off a werewolf who had barely gained control a month ago and had recently had a huge upheave in her life. Especially one that involved Belle herself. Red sighed, rolling her shoulders.

Ruby paced her room, hoping to out walk the feeling, but it had been two hours and nothing had faded yet. Then again she knew why. It was the first night of the full moon; she could already feel the wolf straining against her hold. It scared her- it was the first one since Belle -and she had no idea what it would be like now.

Would it be different this time? Would she have more or less control now that the wolf had such a strong attachment to a person? She couldn't answer these. Granny probably could, but she wouldn't dare go to her for help now. She had asked for enough. Sometimes Ruby's pride wasn't her favourite trait. It almost never was in fact.

She was sick of every day going the same way, each day revolving around what she could do to ruin her own life. How many wrong steps she could take that day. And it was all Belle's fault. Scratch that, it was all her wolf's fault. But then again, isn't that what seemed to hinder any happiness she felt?

With a growl and a quiet swear, Ruby grabbed a hoody and made her way out the door and into the woods.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Walking in the woods was always a calming influence for the wolf, it was better than anything else she had tried. But now, for the first time, it was failing her.

Everything was silent, much quieter than she was used too. Ruby loved listening to the animals scurry away from her as she followed the imaginary path through the trees. But that day there was nothing.

Clouds littered the sky, but she barely registered them. It wouldn't rain. And even if it did it didn't matter, the sun would go down in a few hours anyway, and she would be out in it either way.

Red couldn't relax. This was of course why her forest wouldn't help her calm, but she couldn't see that through her stress. So all and all, that same stress is what dulled her senses enough that each step brought her nowhere and her eyes saw nothing. Which is why she walked straight into someone, without even realising she wasn't alone.

Ruby heard the 'uff' of surprise from the other person as if it came from miles away at first, muffled by her thoughts. But she was quick to come back down to earth and her ears perked at the sound. She knew that voice well, and it only made her guilt swarm ever faster in her stomach. "I'm sorry," she hissed out, hoping to make a fast retreat under the cape of 'formalness', but of course, before she even noticed, he had a hold on her arm, and she knew that was it.

Ruby looked up into Mr Gold's eyes and the guilt mingled with fear. His eyes were fire. She could almost see the flames dancing in the pure blackness and it terrified her more than she would ever say. He knew. What was she thinking? Of course he knew! He was Rumpelstiltskin, he knew everything.

Parting her lips to speak, Ruby was quickly interrupted with his calm voice. "Stay away from Belle, Miss Lucas." He spoke so relaxed, as if he was referring only to the weather, but Ruby sensed the anger lingering at the back of his throat.

"I can't." It was the truth, she couldn't. And he knew that too of course. "I'm sorry."

"And I don't care." The sharp twang of his accent sliced through Red's defences faster than she could build them up once again. "Stay away from Belle." His voice was louder now, angrier.

Gold stood leaning on his cane, and for a moment Ruby paused to wonder why he went into the woods in a suit. Did he own anything else though? But now wasn't the time to dwell on his fashion sense. "I can't!" Her voice was louder now too.

He did a half scoff. "You can, you're away from her right now."

"You know that's different." _What on earth am I doing? _Ruby thought to herself. She was staring Gold down now, straightened up to her full height. You don't stare Gold down; it was the basics of staying alive. People who messed with Gold _died_.

He stared right back, steadily growing anger in his eyes and a familiar smirk on his face. Ruby could hear the blood rushing in her ears, but she didn't move. She couldn't let up under his pleading. It was that moment when she realised he really was begging her now.

Suddenly, she felt even worse. Rumpelstiltskin was a horrible man, this was common knowledge, but here, Mr Gold was trying his hardest to be good. His hardest may not have been much, but it was still much better than before and Belle saw that. She should at least try…

"Ruby," his voice was gravelly, it made her teeth clench. "I'm asking you nicely." Gold watched her carefully, taking her all in so well it almost scared her. "Now one last time; stay away from Belle, you're not good for her."

This was Rumpel back again in a flash. She could almost see his scaly skin start to reappear. Of course, he would know what staying away would do to her. And even if she agreed her wolf wouldn't want her too… she wouldn't want to stay away, never mind the wolf. She did care about Belle, and at this point, unless ordered away, she would not leave. "No."

Ruby should have seen it coming. The cane that was. She should have reached out and stopped it, or at least try to soften the blow, but her mind was elsewhere and the pain exploding in her side came with no warning except the flash of his eyes and the slight lean in his stance.

It didn't hurt that badly. Her wolf protected her from as much of the pain as she could, but she still almost fell to her knees under the shock, her ribs aching and her lungs desperately searching for air she could not provide.

Beside her, she could sense him pacing back and forth, and in the back of her head heard him apologise in a mess of slurred words. Her side screamed at her to just lie down and take a break to recover properly, but instead Ruby glanced up at the man, his watering eyes and his hands reaching one for his head, the other for her.

"I'm sorry…" finally, he hobbled away, leaving Ruby alone clutching her side in the shade of the trees as the rain began to drizzle down.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Please, Granny. I can't find her anywhere and we need to talk!" Belle's pleas were met with nothing but a gentle shaking of the old woman's head.

The diner was almost empty after the lunch rush, and Belle still hadn't found the waitress. And apparently, neither had Granny, but she was determined to hind that little fact.

"She'll go to you when she's ready to talk about it." Belle huffed. She'd been waiting all goddamn day for her to be ready…

"I want to talk about it now though, I need to understand something…." Granny smiled, shrugged and spun on heel back into the kitchen before Belle could speak another word and the younger woman fell back a little at the quick dismissal. "I just wanted to know what's happening…"

Belle sighed, turning slowly to leave the diner once again to go in search of the werewolf she was bonded too. Why couldn't she have the same tracking skills? She thought for a second, smiling at the image.

While Ruby had paced her room, she had spent the day searching the town, hoping to run into her, a part of her knowing she wouldn't. If Ruby didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be. It still wouldn't stop her from at least trying to find the other girl though. She really needed though as well, it had been over a week! And there was only so much the book could tell. She needed more.

More would of course be centred in Ruby, but she was MIA far too much to be normal and it infuriated the petite brunette more than she let on. Then again, she never let on when she was angry, Rumpel did enough of that for both of them…

"Belle!" Like on cue, there he was, walking slowly towards her, his eyes sketchy as always. She paused mid step to wait for him. He deserved that much from her at this point. Belle knew she was being terrible, and guilt nagged at her every second of every day because of it, but she couldn't do anything without _first finding Ruby_… There was no way around this anymore.

She knew what he was going to say, the same questions– What's going on? Are you okay? - And the same 'Please forgive me,' that had become almost meaningless in her mind and in his voice. He went with all this time, and her stomach twisted like a wrung out sponge. She was doing badly by him and couldn't even stop.

"Please, give me a few more day, I haven't got it all… sorted." Her normal excuse that she knew wouldn't work for much longer. She still prayed that it would work one last time, for her desperate mind had begun doing this on impulse. Even that made her feel awful.

That same look on his face, that heartbreak (mixed with something else today, familiar but she couldn't fully place it…) that made her feel like she was going to be sick. Gold pushed past her with cold, shaking hands that rested briefly on her arm and she let him go, without so much as a glance. She had to find Ruby.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been three hours before Belle found herself halfway up to the forests. After searching the hotel once again, something told her to make her way up there, and as soon as she thought about it she almost hit herself. Of course Ruby would be up there. It was the full moon!

The rain had been gently falling for almost the full day now, so she wore an old raincoat she'd borrowed from Ruby room (she'd left it unlocked, which worried Belle a little) ad trudged up the path that led into the deeper wood, trusting her instincts (and the path) to that her closer to where Ruby was hiding out.

It didn't take her too long to find the taller brunette. Ruby had wandered a little of the track, but had left a pretty easy trail to follow, broken twigs and pieces of her red and brown hair stuck in branches were an amazing help to the librarian. Thank god for survival books, they had some amazing tips.

Ruby sat curled up on a boulder not to far off the beaten path, right above Belle's head by about a metre, silent as one dead. The only thing that told Belle she was even there was the light handprints patterns where she must have scaled the rock and the sound of her breathing, low and uneven. "Ruby?"

"What?" The waitress's voice carried softly as she peered down, her arms still wrapped tight around her legs.

Belle smiled a little. "Why are you up on that rock?" she asked, straining to see. "It's raining."

"I noticed."

"Why don't you come back home?"

Ruby sighed. "It's barely an hour until sunset. I'll be back out here anyway."

Belle looked up with a crease in her forehead. Ruby never gave her much to go on, but this was an extreme case, even for her. "Ruby, are you okay?"

There was a pause where both women were silent, Belle shivering under the cold drips of water landing on her face, her mind idly wondering how Ruby could stand it without a coat before remembering she was a werewolf and brushing it off. "I'm fine, Belle."

The woman in question pursed her lips and spoke with quite determination. "Can we talk?" This was followed by a sigh and a deep breath.

"The sun is almost down, can we talk tomorrow?" Ruby's voice was so defeated, Belle wanted to see her properly, not from a distance looking up. Like she had commanded it, Ruby fell from her place until she was standing directly in front of her mate. "I'm fine, really. Just I kind of need my space tonight."

Belle smiled up at her, delighted to be engaged in a real conversation for the first time in what felt like forever, one where she knew she wasn't hurting someone or making them uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Ruby was delighted to have Belle around again, it made her feel better almost instantly, but she wasn't about to tell her what had happened between herself and Gold, no matter how badly her side hurt or how much it refused to heal. She would never tell Belle that. It would hurt her to much and Ruby couldn't bear to do that to her.

"Okay then," Belle, without a second of warning, fell into her arms, wrapping her own tightly around Ruby's neck. Only this surprise was anything but unpleasant. Ruby didn't even have to tell her arms to wrap around the other girl, before she had even thought about it, she was already holding her as close as she possibly could without hurting her.

Belle was so warm and soft. She needed that hug, thought she hadn't even known it herself a few second before. She also didn't know that Belle's mind was following the exact same track, one of warmth and comfort.

But it had to end, and Ruby had to leave as the sky tinged pink. Before she could stop herself, Ruby pressed a quick kiss to Belle's forehead and wandered back into the woods with a smile on her face and forcing herself not to limp.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry, this was a bit late. In my weak defence, I lost all the chapters I had written on my USB, but I still had my plans for them so I could have re-written faster… Anyways, I hope you like this, and trust me, shits hittin' the fan soon… 'evil laugh of keeping you in the dark'**

The first tiny rays of sunlight began to peak through the blinds of Granny's inn at six am every morning Belle had slept there. And every morning, it never failed to wake her.

At first, she had found this quiet annoying. She had no way of getting back to sleep once she had woken, she had never been able to grasp that skill as she had any other, and would lay awake staring at the room, wondering if she should do something to make it more homely, knowing she wouldn't. She had bigger things on her mind.

These early morning thought session with herself were both a blessing and a curse for Belle, and she envied her former self, whose biggest worry was that she was getting to bored in her surroundings. Well, Rumpel was a big enough worry in himself, but she was still clinging onto that one.

Either way, each morning, she would lie there, memorizing each and every pattern the room had to offer until they blurred together in her mind and forced her to move on. She would listen to the outside world, sometimes hearing Pongo barking or a rare early riser diving by to the diner until she could hear nothing more. Only then would she finally actually think.

The thing was, each morning brought her nowhere. The same images, the same thoughts cramming together, all screaming for answers she could not give without help she couldn't receive. Belle was naturally curious, and the loose ends were excruciatingly irritating to her. But each morning she found herself in the same place, waiting. Always waiting for someone to clue her in.

A small part of her, one she didn't like to listen too, told her that she knew what she wanted. She wanted both of them. But Belle wasn't that person. She didn't want to play with either Gold or Ruby. Especially when she felt so confused without anything even really happening.

That was another thing that would wind her up every sunrise was exactly that, nothing was happening. At all. Every single day was the same thing and it was far too repetitive for Belle to work with. Belle liked change, excitement, at least some of the time. But this whole thing was going nowhere fast.

She knew that Ruby was scared to do anything that could mess everything up. She also knew that that was wasn't good for either of them. The y needed to get into this, sit down and actually figure out what they were going to do. But before that, she had to figure out what to do with Rumpelstiltskin.

And there she would be, right back at the start because she didn't know what she wanted to do. He was her True Love, and of course she cared about him, loved him, but he was violent, evil even, and as but as she wanted it to, that wasn't going to change. She had learned to stop deluding herself a long time ago.

She had spent years trying to fix him, help him become good again. She had tried everything she could think of, but between tiny victories were devastating blows, and she was tired of trying to fix something that wasn't really broken. He didn't want to be better.

Belle had learned something from that. People shouldn't be changed, they will change on their own if they truly want to. A little push is all a good person will need to be good. But Rumpel wouldn't budge.

That little part of herself she didn't listen to much had been telling her that right from the start.

So Rumpel was still there, still and unsolved puzzle in her life. Throw Ruby in and it gets even more difficult to solve.

Belle didn't know Ruby too well when she took the time to really think about it. They had barely met when all this was thrown on top of them and they'd never had a real conversation. What Belle did know was that she felt draw to her, she wanted to be around her and no matter how much Ruby tried to distance herself, she wanted her around.

She saw where Ruby was coming from of course. There was always the chance that, from her side, she might think Belle might leave. Being herself, Belle knew she wouldn't, but getting that through to the other woman was a struggle.

Ruby left all decisions to her out of worry, but that much pressure wasn't getting her to make any decisions. If she could just get to know Ruby a little better, if they had been friends at least before all this… But there has been no way for that to happen, and she knew that perfectly well, but it would have been so much easier if they could share it all out.

This was her line of though one exceptionally bright Saturday morning that led her to the conclusion that if she didn't at least get the ball rolling on something that day, she would be driven completely mad by all this.

She was going to sort everything out with Gold and get _something_ out of Ruby before the day was up or she would do nothing at all.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Belle dressed faster than she ever had leaving Granny's inn that morning, with a spring in her step at the thought of having a real plan for her day to follow. It was exhilarating, as a nice difference to blinding going about her day like a drifting ghost.

The morning was brighter than usual, but the streets were still quite empty of people. Belle's over worn dress was uncomfortable against her skin, she needed to get something new from somewhere… she really needed to find some friends who could point her in the right direction…

With this in mind, Belle wandered slowly down the streets, headed to Granny's where she knew Ruby would be. She had it all planned out. She would head to Ruby first, see how she reacted to everything before making up her mind and telling Gold what was going to happen. But this was of course all changed when she heard the groaning.

It caused her to pause, alarm creeping up her spine. It was nearby, the next turn almost. Someone was hurt. Or being hurt.

While the rational parts of her were arguing over what to do – Run away? Investigate?- her body had already sent her charging forwards in a mad dash to get closer to the sound that seemed more familiar as she neared it. Her heart thudded in her chest as she skidded around the corning only to come face to face with Ruby, double over slightly.

"Ruby?" Belle's mind failed to offer her anything else to say, so instead she gave the girl a once over. Red's hands were both wrapped firmly around her side, massaging lightly. Her teeth were gritted and her eyes were wide, staring up at the petite brunette with what almost looked like panic brimming in the light greenish depths.

The wolf hobbled back a little. "Belle," she said, with a little hiss in her voice that Belle quickly noticed. "Hi."

"Hi…" Belle's normally light voice was even lighter now as she watched Ruby begin to straighten herself up, her jaw flexing in pain. "Are you okay?" _Best to go with some ignorance on this one_, her mind had told her. This time she listened.

Also before the words were out of her mouth Ruby was shrugging her shoulders. "It's nothing, I just bumped into a tree last night…" Se pursed her lips and Belle felt like she could read her mind, she knew what was going to be said next. "Can we just forget about this?"

Ruby's eyes were pleading to the point that Belle couldn't look away. She felt awful for thinking it, but it was almost like a puppy begging for food, with huge sad eyes that you couldn't ignore. It was almost like they cast a spell over you that made you do exactly what that puppy wanted. And self-control had never been Belle's strongpoint.

With a quiet sigh and a broken smile, Belle nodded her agreement and suddenly the puppy eyes were back to being Ruby. "Thanks, Belle, we will talk later though, okay?" Again, Belle nodded, this time drawing a strange look from the taller woman. But Ruby didn't push. Instead, she offered a grin and brushed past Belle in an awkward gait somewhere between a walk and a limp.

Belle watched after her. She didn't hit a tree. That was a lie.

But Belle would talk to her about that later. If Ruby didn't want to talk right that second she would let her away with it, for now at least. But come hell or high water she would get at least one thing on her list done that day. So spinning on her heels and forgetting breakfast, Belle started to make her way towards Gold's shop.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The jingle of the chime alerted Rumpelstiltskin to his surprise visitor straight away, but he had had an idea that she would show up sooner or later. He straightened up from his place behind his desk quick as he could to face her, closing the huge book that lay open in front of him with a slam. "Belle."

For her part, Belle didn't really know what she was going to say. Coming to his shop with no real plan seemed slightly foolish but she had done it now, and she would keep going until it was finished. While she thought, Gold picked up his dusty book and slid it into a drawer for safekeeping, before turning all of his attention to her.

His almost too pleasant smile reminded her of the times in his castle, when he would send them to her in strange situations to try and relax her. Belle had always assumed they were put on. Now she thought it was normal. It didn't seen normal to her. "I was wondering when I would see you again," he said slowly. "I missed you."

Belle was silent, not really sure what to say. Being quiet would only make things worse though, the more he spoke the deeper in she would be getting, and the more she would hurt him. She still didn't want to hurt him…

Logically, she knew that they needed some space, without the worry of running into him and having so many questions thrown in her face. Logic had never failed her before. So, solidifying an idea in her mind, Belle finally parted her lips to speak. "Rumpel, I think we need some time apart." Her voice broke in the middle, but she powered through.

What she didn't expect however, was a quick nod of his head and a smile. "Of course, Belle. I was thinking something similar myself." All spoken in is slow tone of course, the one he used when he spoke to other people. "We haven't been right for a while now."

Belle was taken aback, almost enough to show it on her face. Rumpel was agreeing with her? About something like _this_? That was strange in itself, but she didn't like that voice he used. He used it on Regina and Emma, the people he was going to mess with, but not her. But who was she to question him, he had way more right to question her.

So instead she smiled. "I glad to you think the same way." Gold lifted his hand in a 'brushing off' motion.

"You're completely right, and I'm sure this will only be for a short period of time." He gave her that smirking smile again and Belle smiled back, taking a step towards the door.

"Well, uh, I'll let you get back to your reading, Rumpelstiltskin." She said with a confidence she didn't have, edging closer to the door.

As she turned to leave, he took his book back out again, looking upon it with a smile. "I will see you later, Belle."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruby watched in the light of her room as her bruises began to heal right before her very eyes. She watched as the colours changed from angry red, to dark purple to a sickly yellow and then, much to her annoyance, back to red. Goddam magic…

Sighing in both pain and frustration, Red lay back down on the bed, waiting for whatever Rumpelstiltskin had done to her side to finally wear off. But she had bigger things on her mind. She had promised to meet with Belle soon and she knew she couldn't keep the other girl in the dark for too long. She needed to be let in completely.

The thing was, something told her that she wasn't ready to do that.

Ruby's thoughts had been anything but together the past few days, in fact they were almost unreadable, even to herself. Belle had gotten under her skin and now she couldn't breathe. She didn't want to lie to her, but to save her from pain she had too.

Telling Belle she had hit a tree had felt worse that the bruising. It was like the pain was multiplied by thousands and she cursed her lucky stars that she had found a mate so caring that she didn't pry. Ruby knew Belle had seen through her. She was never much for acting anyway.

But she knew what she had to do. As much as she wanted to leave everything up to Belle, it would do nothing much hurt her if she did. She needed to grow up and do something about all of this. This was mainly because of her, and intertwined in both their lives. And leaving Belle in charge of everything could end badly if she offered her nothing to help.

So Ruby dragged herself up, ignoring her screaming ribs as she leaned over the bed to put on some shoes. The foundations for any kind of relationship were built on mutual fondness and she and Belle weren't close. But if she had anything to do with it, they would be soon. Ruby was going to go about this the only way she knew how.

Girl's Night.


	9. Chapter 9

The music blasted throughout the tiny pub, a beat that Belle couldn't place and lyrics she couldn't fully understand. But she didn't mind anymore. The only thing she cared about was the burn of alcohol against her throat and the feel of Ruby's hand on her waist.

She wasn't sure when Girl's Night had become so heated; at least in her case. Not that she was complaining. At this point, being near Ruby was enough for her, but _this_ felt amazing. She hadn't had the chance to really be with Ruby at all since she had found out what was going on, so finally getting the chance was fantastic.

It had started with Ruby teaching her the art of clothing choice, although in an undeniably awkward way, by having Snow take her out shopping.

Belle didn't exactly have money of her own (that wasn't Rumpel's) but it seemed that Ruby had it all covered for her. An elegant blue dress with black heels just the right height for her to be able to both walk and have fun in, made up most of her outfit. Her jewellery was simple, and after plenty of help from Snow, she found just the subtle silver she needed to form a necklace.

She met Ruby in The Rabbit Hole at nine o'clock, they toasted some colourful beverage that Belle had absolutely _loved_ and everything after that seemed a little strange. But there she was, Belle French, tossing back foul tasting liquid like she was parched in the desert and pressed up against Ruby Lucas, a werewolf who she had a connection with that was rivalling her True Love with Rumpel to the point where it was almost overtaking it.

This was not what she had expected. But, like already mentioned, she didn't mind. In fact, she was enjoying herself.

Belle never got the chance to let go, and whatever those drinks had done to her had granted her that one wish. She had never felt more relaxed that she did in that loud place, full of people she hardly knew and listening to Ruby laugh in her ear. Except maybe in the library, shifting through books…

Listening to Ruby giggling only made her feel even stranger about waiting until now to try and get closer to her. It was perfect, and left her without anything to say or do besides echo her, moving closer into her arms and listening to the rumbles of satisfaction that Red tried to muffle in her hair. Why hadn't she made more of an effort?

Her mind didn't want her to dwell on that those thoughts though. She was here now wasn't she? At the side of the dance floor swaying with who she considered now to be her friend, her only real friend in this world, in a tight dress and high heels, feeling Ruby's rapid breath on her neck and her hands on her hips.

Meanwhile Ruby wasn't sure what she was doing anymore. Barely any more sober than Belle, Ruby was slightly more accountable for her actions, though she could not stop her hands wandering around the other woman. So she wasn't completely drunk, but still enough that her already fragile hold on her desires was weakened to breaking point.

Holding off from being near Belle was hard enough without alcohol pushing her around.

In the back of her mind, Ruby knew it was getting late, and that she should have brought Belle home hours ago, but she couldn't bear to let the moment go. This was the first time she felt fully comfortable just letting herself go around her mate, which was something she had every right to do, and if not for everything in the way she would do far more often but she couldn't.

She had had too much to drink and so had Belle and they both could almost grasp it, but not quite. So several glasses of 'the orange stuff', as Belle had named it, later, they could barely think over the music or sense another presence. "Hey,"

Ruby was the first to turn her head to give the man her attention, her arm wound around Belle, who leaned into her, laughing a little at something not even she could understand. "Can I break in?" He stank of beer and body spray and Ruby swallowed deeply in disgust, moving away a little to deter him. But he was having none of it, looking at the two of them with beady brown eyes.

Ruby was quickly reminded of a bug, a jittery, flying bug that in your heart of heart you know won't leave you alone, but you still try to get rid of. That was this man. And she didn't want him anywhere near her or her mate, who was watching him curiously, her laughing slowly dying down to chuckling as she realised they weren't alone.

Shaking her head, Ruby gathered up the remains of her intellect and answered him with as much bite in her voice as she could muster. "No, thanks." She turned her head back to Belle, fully aware of the man still lingering closer than she would have liked. She didn't like his aura, and didn't feel safe in it. Her grip on her glass tightened.

Belle watched closely at the exchange, watched as Ruby's eyes narrowed dangerously when the man behind her moved closer, trying to touch her. So to counteract it, she thought to reach out before him, and grab her arm, pulling her back out deeper into the dance floor and away from the man who was now leaning against the bar with a distinctly annoyed look marring his face.

As soon as they were farther away, Belle pulled Ruby down to her height, smirking a little with a confidence she didn't really have, not usually anyway. "Big, bad wolf," she slurred a little, but she was far more literate that Ruby had expected her to be. "You have yellow eyes."

Ruby was startled by the light blue eyes staring up into her own with strange fascination. She had always loved Belle's eyes; they were just so light and airy, rimmed with black, which brought out their colour at every moment. Though when she looked into them she didn't think of blue, she thought of trees and wood burning fires. It felt like running through the forest in the moon's light to look into them. Looking into them was home.

She cocked her head to the side just a fraction. The whole eye thing had become far more pronounced since she had meet Belle, where before they had only turned on full moons, now it was almost daily. "Really?" she giggled a little to herself and Belle echoed.

"Yeah, like really yellow." Was Belle's answer as she leaned into her again, and for a moment Ruby couldn't breathe, so she took another slip of her drink to distract her, which only served in making her head spin more. It was in that moment that she realised that that may have been a bad idea. "Ruby?"

"Hmm?" Was all she could reply with, she didn't trust herself not to slur enough to try an actual sentence.

"You wanna go home?"

Ruby nodded slowly, blinking to clear her head before placing her mostly empty glass down on a table barely in time for Belle to start pulling her towards the exit with what little force she had.

The night was freezing, even Ruby felt it. But her jacket had long since been draped over Belle, and she didn't mind the cold that much. She could never take it from the shivering girl latched onto her arm anyway.

Granny's Inn wasn't too far away from the bar, though nothing was far away from anything in Storybrooke, and even through their stumbling, they made it there pretty quickly, without getting hit by any of the infrequent cars or waking any citizens with their laughter. In a fit of giggles, Belle had a one point reached up in Ruby's hair, scratching her a little until she had the other girl laughing with her.

"You're really warm," Belle muttered, pressing closer to try and hide from the bitter wind. Ruby smiled and moved so that her back was facing the cold and shielding her friend, leaving Belle to move to cuddling into her front while Ruby walked backwards, hoping she wouldn't fall and embarrass herself. "Thank you." Belle murmured, smiling a little.

Navigating her way backwards up steps while drunk was harder than Ruby had anticipated, and though she wasn't even shielding Belle from the cold any longer, she didn't want to let go. This was the closest she'd been to the girl… well ever, and she wasn't about to give that up.

Belle's flowery shampoo, that Ruby vaguely registered as the one they gave out in the inn, filled her senses and had her almost hypnotised, until of course, Belle moved to look at her again and she was caught by that instead, her head frazzled by the combination of alcohol and her mate.

Belle felt loose. She had never felt so loose and she loved it. Why had she never tried those strange drinks before? But at that moment she didn't care about the drinks, all she cared about was the tall, wobbly woman in front of her and that she had glowing yellow eyes and that they were enchanting and she couldn't look away.

And for a moment she thought she might like to kiss her.

So she did. A little more than halfway up the stairs, the both of them leaning, skilfully as one could while drunk, on the banister, Belle pressed her lips gently to Ruby's own, feeling her friend's breathing stop as her hand wound their way up to loop around Ruby's shoulders. There, she waited for a reaction.

As soon as Belle had kissed her, Ruby wasn't sure which part of her was the one in control anymore. Her wolf howled and banged at her cage, unable to get out but so full of excited energy that Ruby had to give herself a minute to reel it in. Meanwhile her human self was stunned beyond repair. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and her head spun. And all every single part of her wanted to do was kiss back.

She responded quickly, giving Belle the green light, much to the (almost) surprise of the shorter woman. She had expected the same brush off she usually got when she was close to Ruby. But it seemed she had finally relaxed enough. A devilish though Belle didn't even know could appear in her mind manifested as she climbed the last steps, leading Ruby in an awkward walking jog, careful not to scare the wolf woman away.

Then again, scaring Ruby away seemed like the last thing she should have spent her last coherent thoughts on anyway. Ruby's kisses were no longer hesitant. It seemed all she needed was a little push, and now that she had gotten it, Belle felt quite foolish to not have tried earlier. Then again, they had never had anything close to the liquid courage running through their veins at that very moment.

As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, Belle felt her back slam into the thick wall and lips on her neck. Her breaths came in short, deep pants as she eyes fluttered shut and open again, desperate to see what was happening. But as soon as Ruby's lips parted against her skin and her teeth grazed the spot where her shoulder and neck met they finally gave in and slid shut.

Ruby felt Belle's moan vibrate along her neck and it sent shockwaves of heat through her body. She didn't care about anything in the way anymore. Her sober self would berate her later, but right there in that moment she was _happy_. Her open mouth closed in a bite to that same spot and she felt Belle quiver under it.

Belle fought to control her breathing and pushed herself forwards, off the wall and into Ruby. She quickly brought them together in another kiss while they walked to a destination they weren't exactly sure of. They didn't even know what the hell they were going to do next but at that point it didn't matter.

They didn't know where they were going, that was, until Ruby's back hit into a door, Belle's door, and her heart shipped a beat. Belle herself either hadn't noticed, or, as her smirking eyes would betray, knew exactly what was happening, even through her clouded mind. "Belle?" She breathed. She got a hummed response.

Her mind refused to work with her voice who she broke the kiss, a task in itself to look Belle in the eyes. She could read her, but it was mutual. Belle knew exactly what she was trying to say and for once she thanked the wolf for the connections it gave.

Belle leaned up to ignite their kiss once again, her hand slipping around Ruby to open the door. Ruby's hands roamed her sides, up to her chest trying to draw another moan from her mate. In barely five minutes it had become one of her favourite sounds and she wanted to hear it again that very second.

After struggling with the door for a moment, it finally clicked open and Belle smiled against Ruby's lips in triumph before pushing her back into the pitch darkness of her room as her smile transformed into a half smirk and the door was kicked shut.

**A/N: Murmurs an apology for the first part of this being shitty and how it's so short but how the next chapter will be better before running away laughing about denying porn.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: It's just occurred to me that I've been forgetting my disclaimers, but you all know that I, in fact, do not own Once Upon a Time or anything related to it. If I did I sure as hell would not be writing fanfiction, when it could all be real.**

The first tiny rays of sunlight began to peak through the blinds of Granny's inn at six am every morning Belle had slept there. And every morning, it never failed to wake her.

That morning was one of the few that this wouldn't annoy her. She didn't even want to go back to sleep once she had woken, or distract herself with the things that usually would have plagued her during these times. She only had one thing on her mind.

That day, she didn't envy her former self, who had nothing better to do than sink into deep thought about her troubles every waking hour. For once, Belle had the chance to actually savour the feeling of waking up with feelings other than worry. One of those feelings, however, was panic.

Waking up at first had been fantastic, one of the few times since she was freed that she had woken up without nightmares or stress. She was so warm and comfortable, that for a moment she hadn't even realised that she was awake. If not for the ever consistent light shining on her face, she could have believed that for quite some time.

But the light did shine on her face, and she did wake up in the comfort of her own bed, with a clear mind and a light feel to her body. She couldn't remember the last time she had woken feeling so free.

Belle was quick to notice that something was different about that particular morning. Then again, it was no task to hear the gentle, deep breathing that sounded from the other end of the bed or feel the firm arms wrapped around her midsection, tight enough to feel it, but just loose enough to be comfortable.

That was the moment that a tinge of fear crept in and began to grow from its place deep in her stomach. Her mind still half asleep, Belle froze, unwilling to turn around and risk waking up the other occupant, until her mind caught up with the rest of her and started to ache. What on earth was wrong was her?

All of a sudden, Belle had no motivation to discover anything anymore. Her head hurt and all she wanted to do was sink further into the bedcovers, where it was warm and she didn't have to move. Though her curiosity battled against her bodily needs on a daily basis, this one war was won by a single blow.

A groan rumbling in the back of her throat (which she quickly bit back so as not to disturb), Belle lifted her head from the sheets, ignoring its protests, to have a look around and assesse her situation. The twisted blankets wrapped around her, restricting her moment, but she still had the freedom to lean herself up on her elbows.

The room was a mess, but Belle's recollection didn't mention anything that could have done so much damage. She remembered it of course, but the broken lamp was missing from her mind's eye…

When an urge to look finally overcame her defences, Belle's eyes wandered over to where Ruby lay on her side, pressed against her in a fashion Belle was sure would scare her once she woke from sleep. Her face was partially hidden by the pillows that she had cuddle into in her sleep while her hair flowed out behind her head, almost reaching to the edge of the bed, and not for the first time Belle noticed the faded streaks of red that still lingered.

Without her permission, Belle's body turned in Ruby's hold, dropping down so she could face her. She didn't wake up and Belle smiled a triumph. She knew when she woke, Ruby would be everything but calm.

A tiny exhaled laugh escaped her. She wasn't completely herself the night before, but the more confident version of herself could not have served better. As much as she knew neither of them would admit it, they were wandering gin circle, only hurting both themselves and anyone else involved while they did it. In Belle's mind, this was either a blessing or a curse, but no matter which, it would solve their seemingly forever lasting back and forth relationship.

But she knew her waking first was a blessing. It gave her time to think about what she wanted to say, because it would take a lot of thought before she could even begin talking.

A part of her wonder what went through Ruby's head every so often when it came to _them_, and more than once she had thought of trying to get into her head and figure it out once and for all, but each time she had reined in her head and kept it settled as far back as she could. Though she could never fully bury the desire, Belle knew to keep out.

Though it would help everyone if they could only be on the same page, or in the same book even, Belle knew it would be better to talk it out before anyone started with the mind intruding.

So instead, Belle dove into her own thoughts. Belle's thoughts were muddled, all over the place, and she blamed those colourful drinks, she knew those would come back to haunt her…

Belle didn't really know what to think of Ruby, or really anything going on in either of their lives anymore. Since she had found out about everything, her already unbalanced relationship with Rumpelstiltskin was thrown into complete disarray. Oh course, Belle knew she was the reason for most of what had gone wrong since they had reconnected in Storybrooke, it still ate away with her whenever she was left alone with herself.

And yet she had done nothing to fix it. And she was in bed with Ruby. It was times like these she felt guilty. She knew she was hurting him, but she still didn't stop it.

Ruby twitched in her sleep and Belle glanced up to look her in the face. She had been facing into the light as well, but it didn't seem to affect her the way it did Belle. _Nocturnal?_ Belle thought with knotted eyebrows and a half smile. Really looking at her, Belle was once again struck with the beauty the other woman possessed.

She knew that Ruby was attractive. No one could doubt that. But that morning, as Ruby slept with a satisfied smile on her face and steady slow breaths, Belle noticed it all the more. She was gorgeous.

But Belle didn't have the time to dwell on that, for at that moment, Ruby started to stir, and Belle knew she would wake soon. She was running out of time.

Belle knew in her heart of hearts what she wanted to do before she had even began to think, but she had never the chance to betray it yet. So she waited for Ruby to open her eyes, watching her face change from its calm relaxation to her normal awake features as she inhaled. Ruby froze, slowly waking up and realising she wasn't alone, just like Belle had little more than ten minutes before. "Belle?" she said, in a voice laced by sleep, almost a whisper.

"Yes." Belle's reply was in the same whispering tone, yet it woke Ruby like she had screamed it. She woke violently, eyes darting open to wide. Belle swore she could see the panic brewing there. But then again, she had had the luxury of thought, Ruby had not. "It's ok-"

"I'm so sorry, Belle." Ruby interrupted, retracing her arms and backing awake as much as the bed would let her. "I didn't…" trailing off, Ruby darting eyes searched for escape while Belle's scanned her, sitting up on her right forearm, trying her best to ignore the pounding that shot through her skull like a knife. "I'm sorry,"

Belle couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ruby was _apologising_? It seemed ludicrous from her side, but she understood Ruby, as mislead as she was in the matter. So she shook her head with a tiny smile, trying (and failing) to tell Ruby that it was alright. Ruby hadn't even moved since she had back away.

While trying to reach out and touch her, for a moment Belle was worried Ruby would fall over the edge of the bed. "I'm not angry," she said, out loud this time, but it did nothing to settle her friend. Or were they friends? Belle wasn't sure any more. But she would see to that question later. Now she was there to show Ruby that it was all fine. Great even.

"Ruby," Belle spoke softly, trying to catch her bed mate's eyes. But once again she was interrupted. "It's okay." Ruby's words were rushed. "We don't have to tell anyone." She offered her realest fake smile that Belle saw right through. "If you don't want to."

For a split second, Belle wondered if there was some wisdom behind the comment. Keeping it a secret would aid her relationship with Gold, maybe even repair it completely. Of course, Ruby would never dare to speak to her again, and she herself may be too shy to break that kind of silence. It would be almost embarrassingly awkward for the rest of the time they would share the town.

Belle didn't want that reality. As much as she cared about Rumpel, she refused to think of basing any of her decisions on what was good for her already dying relationship with him. It disgusted her that for a second she even considered it. They weren't even together….

That was a comforting thought. No matter how much she didn't regret anything she had done, Belle didn't like the idea that she could cheat. It wasn't her. But Ruby was still waiting for her to speak, with big, green eyes filled with a sadness that broke Belle's heart. "No." she finally said, watching the air leaving Ruby's body under the sheets.

Belle finally got her wish and locked eyes with the werewolf lying beside her. "Ruby we've been dancing around this for too long. We don't talk about it or do anything about it, even though we both know what's going on. We can't keep doing that." Ruby didn't even act as though she had heard her, her eyes still fixed on Belle's own, her hands still clenched loosely on the sheets, holding them up to protect her modesty.

To Belle's slightly childish side, it was pointless. She smiled weakly.

"So no, I don't think we should keep it a secret, or forget about it. This happened, Ruby, and we're going to take responsibility for that." Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but this time it was Belle who cut her off. "And we both had a part in it; I knew what I was doing." With a spinning head and a tired body, Belle leaned back a little to relax, one had wandering up to her head to try and ease the pain building there.

Ruby watched her silently from her crouched place on the edge. She knew Belle was right, everything she had said since they woke up was right, but it still didn't' stop the worry from clouding Ruby's mind. She still felt guilty, and she would for the rest of the day if her conscience had anything to do with it, but at least she knew Belle's side of the story now.

She also knew that Belle was suffering from a horrible hangover.

Quickly locating a makeshift outfit from the clothes strung around the room, Ruby willed her wolf to give her speed and disappeared from the bed, scooping up the garments and was hidden in the bathroom a mere two seconds later than when she left the bed.

She heard Belle call out to her, a tiny hint of annoyance in her voice that Ruby understood completely. So as she dress, she thought.

Maybe she should just take Belle's advice and let it all work out for itself, give what they had done a chance before she just assumed it would destroy her. It was, however, a terrible chance to take. There were a million and one things that could go wrong when it came to being with Belle that way, or even just having people know why they had both been seen coming out of Belle's room in the morning.

Ruby knew that this news would spread like wildfire around the bored little town. Everything that went on was quickly found out by the public. Sometimes Ruby even wondered if people knew about Belle and herself already, but she always brushed it off with a hopeful smile. Though now it didn't matter anymore.

If Belle didn't care what people knew then she had no reason to either. Belle had far more to losse, and she had already suffered Rumpelstiltskin's wrath and survived it. There wasn't much else that would be a liability to her.

Ruby quickly grabbed the glass kept in all the room and filled it with water before exiting the bathroom, dressed in an old, well-worn grey shirt with some faded design that she couldn't remember and a pair of jean shorts. "Hey."

"Hey," Belle echoed, her voice tired. That speech had taken the last of her energy. Ruby smiled down at her, waiting until Belle opened her eyes before handing her the water. "It'll help." Ruby murmured, watching as Belle gulped it down with a thankful glance in her direction. "Better?"

Belle nodded slowly. "So what are we doing then?" she asked, giving the lead to Ruby. She needed both of them to agree before they did anything. And she knew Ruby had had a good think while in the bathroom, she was in there for what felt to be hours but was probably about five minutes, so she had to have an idea of what she wanted to do now.

Ruby smiled. "I want to try this." She said, as Belle lit up. "Your right, we'll get nowhere if we just keep ignoring it. You're my mate." She said it with only a little strangeness. "We should try, see how it works."


	11. Chapter 11

Rumpelstiltskin had felt strange from the moment he woke up that morning. He had gotten out of bed and dressed, before leaning on his cane and going downstairs to make breakfast for himself, all while an odd, nagging feeling in the pit of his gut told him that that particular day, something was different from those before.

Not for the first time, he wished his magic was more powerful when he found his cupboards empty. He had meant to do a shop and fill them again, but it must have slipped his mind. Not to worry of course, he had other places to go and eat.

He had been awarding his forgetful side a lot more freedom lately. After all, he felt he deserved it, with all the worry he had put into his incredibly delicate True Love, he had better things to think about than the food he kept in his home.

Gold had been quite shocked when he had found out what had happened while Belle had been away from him for such a short length of time. And for all his troubles to have formed from Miss Lucas was only another problem. He was the one who had given her the cloak. He should have just cured her while he had the chance…

But he had not, and there was no use dwelling on it. What was done was done, and now he had to allow Belle the chance to get to know her _mate_ as well as she wished for the time being. Rumpel knew her well, she would not progress the mating any further than it had already gone. She had undoubtedly read all about werewolves by now, she was just curious and Belle was never one to leave something that interested her alone.

Belle had always been curious; it was one of her best, and worst, qualities. Gold pursed his lips and shut the cupboard doors, pushing himself slowly off the counter with trembling hands as he made his way down to his shop with hunger growing steadily in his stomach.

This is the reason he found himself walking at a lazy pace towards Granny's diner.

It was a bright day, with barely slivers of cloud littering the sky. The sun reflected from buildings to give each street an almost blinding quality. Mr Gold walked on the shaded side. His suit would keep him too warm in weather such as this if he were to walk in the light.

From his place in the darkened sidewalk were his suspicions of an upcoming change cemented into his reality.

There, rounding the corner up ahead of him on the other side of the street was his precious Belle, smiling without a care in the world, shielding her face from the sun as best she could with her hands. Beside her walked a grinning Ruby Lucas, positively glowing with a delight he could not fathom, her arm wrapped around Belle's waist. Mirroring Belle's around her own, he noticed with an almost invisible frown.

Hidden in the shadows, Rumpelstiltskin watched the two enter the diner ahead of him, giggling like children, and suddenly he wasn't as hungry as he had been.

Without a second glance, the man turned on his heel with surprising agility and started to make his way back to his shop, his grip on his cane tightening to an almost painful grasp. The mating stage had progressed.

* * *

Little more than a half hour later, Mr Gold sat in his destroyed shop, staring at the mess he had made of his home in a moment or two of fury. Why we continued to take his anger out on his shop he would never know, but once again he found himself standing in broken glass and sitting on a cracked chair.

He never sat while in his shop if he could help it, but now that he was down, he couldn't find the energy to get back up again to survey the damage done. His desk and cabinets were in ruins.

He had thought of a million things his intuition could have been clueing him into that morning, but this was not one of them. It had been the very last thing he could have expected but now that it was real he didn't know what to do.

_They are mated_, he though with a sigh and an inaudible growl. Then Ruby would have to have some control over the wolf not to have _killed_ his Belle, and even though he still held her cloak, it was a useless asset to him now. She didn't need it to keep the town safe from herself anymore. Another bout of anger threatened to take hold on him, but he carefully kept it in, audibly swallowing the emotion.

Mr Gold knew he had nothing to scare Ruby away anymore, and nothing he could come up with could aid him either way. But he did have something saved. Something he had hoped would come into use in another fashion, but now he had another task for it. No matter. He could do both now. Rising steadily from his chair, Rumpelstiltskin smiled and slowly made his way to his supplies.

* * *

Belle picked at her late breakfast, carefully taking apart the strange variety of foods and tasting each other with cautiousness that she had become accustomed to. She trusted Ruby enough to try this odd hot breakfast thing, but she still kept a worried aura with each new bite, until she had decided that she liked the item or not.

Between bites, she watched Ruby work. Ruby had gotten a quick telling off from her Grandmother for being so late when they came in, but she hadn't seemed to really take on board her kin's annoyance enough to actually stop the rain of half insults, which had earned her another hours work, which did in fact snap her out it.

So she had served Belle food of some sort and gotten to work faster than Belle had ever seen her. Trying to make her Granny happy again, probably. Sadly for her, it wasn't working, and Belle knew Ruby would be trapped in the diner for almost the full day. They had hoped to get out at some point that day, it was so nice out, but it didn't look good for that idea any more.

Belle didn't mind, she was content to spend her day loitering around the town, maybe she could go back to the library…

For now, Belle was delighted to sit in the cool diner with her meal and her mate nearby, shooting her smiles and winks every so often. The diner always gave Ruby more confidence that she could have anywhere else. It was brilliant to see the transformation.

Ruby had been so insecure before, but Belle hoped that now she could be more… herself. She was sure it would be a relief for Ruby, and she would love for the wolf to be open with her. This morning Ruby had been so loose and it was such a welcome change that Belle had been almost taken aback. Ruby was acting like her friend first, and she liked that.

Belle jumped when she saw someone slid into the opposite side of the booth through her eyelashes, but it was just Ruby, so she smiled a greeting to the tired looking woman. "It's been barely an hour and I'm exhausted." Ruby huffed out, and Belle was grateful for the attempt at normality as she laughed a little when Ruby lay her head down on the desk with a gentle thud.

"You should really slow down, it's too hot to work that hard." Belle replied. She was right. The burning heat was too much, even for her, and she was just sitting down. She couldn't imagine how hot Ruby must be, even though she had stuck with the pair of shorts she had worn that morning, and another t-shirt to try and keep herself cool.

Pushing her untouched drink towards Ruby, Belle gestured for her to take it, which she did with a quick look of thanks before gulping it down. For the first time, Belle was thankful she left her drink for last during a meal. "Are you on a break?" Belle asked and Ruby shook her head. "Not really, Granny's just being nice. For once."

Belle glanced towards the old woman at the mention of her title and noticed she was already watching them. She didn't care to look away when Belle met her gaze so Belle broke it first, looking back at Ruby with a questioning look in her eyes that Ruby shook her head at. Belle cleared her throat, "So I was thinking of what I'm going to say to Rumpelstiltskin…"

Ruby stiffened, barely visibly but enough to alert Belle to her discomfort. "Don't worry, I'm just going to tell him that I want to take a break," she said, "a long break… okay I don't know what I'm going to say." Ruby smiled.

"I wish I could help, but this is all yours." She shrugged as playfully as she could and Belle mock glared at her.

"I know, I'm not looking forward to it though." She sighed, "He's not going to take it well. But I have to do it sooner or later." Belle took another bite out of her brunch. "What is this anyway?"

Ruby glanced down at the plate for a moment before back up at Belle's face with a smile. "That's a fried egg." Belle frowned.

"Egg, I thought so, it looks like the ones I used to eat back home… but different. These are covered in the yellow stuff." Ruby almost laughed. "That's grease. It makes it taste better. Kind of."

Belle's laugh was contagious and Ruby couldn't help but join her. That was until the call of her name from her Granny told her that her makeshift break was over. "I have to go," Ruby said, a half pout growing on her lips. "You want a refill?"

Belle shook her head, carefully putting her cutlery on her plate to signal that she was done. "No thank you, I might actually go for a quick walk." She stood. "But I'll be back in an hour or two and you can get me that refill." Gathering a little courage, Belle leaned forward to wrap her arms around Ruby in a hug, standing up taller so she could rest her head on Ruby's shoulder.

Startled, Ruby's heart thumped wildly in her chest and it was as if she had forgotten how to hug someone, her arms were so uncooperative. As if she sensed it, Belle shrugged one shoulder, jerking Ruby's arm into action and, just like that, she had power over her limbs once more. Returning the hug, she sighed into Belle's hair. Why couldn't this have happened on that first day?

Ruby smiled a little to herself. It had turned out all right in the end, even if it had taken some time to get there. No one was hurt and Belle seemed happy. And that's all she really cared about.

At the sound of Granny's coughing, the two broke apart. Belle's embarrassed laugh sounded and she waved awkwardly. "Bye," she called, walking briskly out the door and into the hot sun, instantly wishing she had stayed the moment she left… for the air conditioning of course. She turned to glance once more into the diner to catch Ruby's eyes. There were following her anyway.

Now this was something she could get used too. If Belle had known how much better life would be being kind-of-together with Ruby she would have made sure of it the first day they met. But it was okay, they had it all now. It was better late than never.

Even though their conversation that morning had not entitled them to anything real, Belle liked to think that had been their turning point, and that maybe now they would be close enough to just let what would happen happen and not let their altogether far too busy minds get in the way of them trying to be happy.

Once again, Belle found herself so lost in thought to hear someone step out of the shadow and into her path, sending her walking straight into a slightly taller figure with an apology already forming on her lips. "I'm sorry… Rumpelstiltskin?"

Mr Gold smiled down at her and shook his head. "It's no trouble dearie, I was looking for you." Belle knotted her eyebrows together as if to question him but he spoke first. "I wanted to ask you over for dinner, as an apology. We could talk about everything, try and repair what we once had, our love."

Opening her mouth to speak at that moment, to tell him that there was something in the way of that love, Belle found herself cut off. "Please, Belle, just give me this one night with you, and then I will leave it up to you to do as you please." Sighing a little, Belle knew that he wouldn't give up. It wasn't in his nature to give up like that.

"Alright." She said. "One dinner."

Rumpelstiltskin grinned his pleasure at the sound of her words. "I will cook. Say eight o'clock? In my manor?"

Belle just nodded, smiling weakly at him in a last ditch attempt to tell him that things weren't going as well as he seemed to think they were, but he either ignored it, or didn't pick it up at all. Whichever option was true, it left Belle with some new dinner plans and an uncomfortable conversation brimming on her horizon.

Mr Gold nodded to her and brushed past on his way to the diner, leaning heavily on his stick. Belle watched him disappear around the corner with a growing concern, but ordered it away. There was nothing she could do about it now, and what harm could a single dinner do?

**A/N: I would like to take this moment to say thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favourites. I means a lot that you're all liking this! So thank you, and if I'm ever late to update, bother me on tumblr, links in my bio.**


	12. Chapter 12

Belle's breathy gasp filled the room with delicious sound and Ruby couldn't help but moan in response as she bit down on Belle's thigh, delighting in the whimper she drew of the woman above her, enchanted by the mark she had left. They wouldn't fade for days.

An hour before, when Ruby hadn't known what Belle had really wanted when she had pulled her from the diner with a playful smile on her lips and almost ran to the hotel, she hadn't moved as fast as she could. If she had the chance now she would have picked Belle up and ran with her.

Glancing up into a wanton filled stare, Ruby almost smirked at how Belle watched with lidded eyes, forcing them open to try and watch. Ruby nipped her way up Belle's leg, taking as much time as possible to get the loudest sounds form her mate, swiping her tongue across smooth, milky skin. She could almost taste Belle's arousal in the air.

Ruby wrapped an arm around Belle's left leg to steady her, raking her nails along the naked flesh, making her blood pump even faster. Taking the time to give one more glance up and into Belle's dark gaze, Ruby dipped her head and licked a painfully slow line up the length of Belle's core. Belle bit down on her lips to silence herself, her hand's balling into fists by her sides as she panted, her eyes finally sliding shut. Ruby had never done _this_ last time…

Ruby could almost feel Belle's desperation, and it drove her on, faster. Her free hand gripped Belle's hips harder when she bucked against her for more friction and her eyes rolled in pleasure. Ruby did smirk then, before her tongue found its way to Belle's clit, circling it until Belle's knuckles turned white and she whimper's turned to screams.

Only then did Ruby take pity on her, taking a moment to nibble lightly on Belle's lips before releasing her leg and thrusting a finger into the wet heat she had been neglecting, adding a second as soon as she knew Belle needed it, curling them a little.

That was it for Belle. Ruby felt her core tighten around her fingers as she convulsed, her lips parting in a silent cry that ended in a groan, her hip rolling against her mate's mouth and her legs trembling. Ruby moaned at the taste of Belle's cum, salty sweet, as she tried to catch all of it, furthering Belle's orgasm as much as she could.

It was some time before Belle's breathing returned to normal, but as soon as she had come down from her high, Ruby crawled back up to lie beside her, cuddling up to her warmth and resting her head on Belle's chest, listening to her heartbeat slowly return to normal. Belle's hand found its way into Ruby's hair, massaging her scalp while she calmed.

Ruby smiled. "So where this that come from?" she asked, lifting her head to look at Belle, who actually grinned back, half rolling her tired eyes.

"I don't know…" she said, leaning to too meet Ruby's lips in a gentle kiss. "You've addicted me." She continued, not even a breath away from Ruby lips before meeting them again. The taller brunette moaned, her hands winding up to play with the tiny hairs on the back of Belle's neck. Belle smiled, enticing Ruby's lips open to deepen the kiss. She tasted herself on Ruby's lips but right at that moment she didn't care. She just wanted to do to Ruby what she did to her.

But, out of nowhere, a thought struck her, and she broke the kiss. "Wait, I promised Gold I'd meet him at eight!" A quick glance at the clock gave her 7:15. She heard a smallest of growls echo in the back of Ruby's throat and she huffed a laugh. "Oh stop being like that, I chose you." She gave her a chaste kiss before getting up with a sigh. "But I'm so sorry, I have to go."

Ruby watched Belle dress with a disappointed look on her features, almost a pout, and Belle couldn't resist wiping it away with one last quick kiss before she left. "I'll be back later, okay?" Ruby nodded and grinned up at her. "Okay."

* * *

Ruby woke gently for the first time in what felt like years. It was not the sun, or the moon, or the weight of worry that she had carried for weeks that woke her. This time, all she did was… wake up. And it was perfect.

She felt good, well, better than she had before, like every single part of her being was relaxed and sated. It was almost dreamlike, the way she rose from her bed and dressed, sleep still dulling her sense just a little bit. She actually liked to get up when she woke now, a notable difference from a few months prior that she chalked up to being Belle's priorities rubbing off on her.

At the thought of her mate, without even thinking she sped up a little, brushing her teeth slightly more violently than necessary. She wanted to see her.

Everything was going so well with Belle so far, even if it had been only two days, they were a perfect two days, and Ruby would live every second leading up to them again if she had the chance to relive them. With a spring in her step, Ruby left her room, almost forgetting to lock it in her haste, before crossing the hall to Belle's room.

Though she had thought about asking Belle to share her room, Ruby had brushed it aside almost immediately. As much as things were going well, she still didn't want to scare off the other woman by moving too fast. She could wait. As long as it took.

Rapping her knuckles against the door, Ruby stepped back to wait for the appearance of the face she was so longing to see. She almost bounced on her heels with excitement, only reining it in by pure luck more the hard effort.

A full five minutes later, and the door had yet to open.

It wasn't until two minutes later that Ruby initial worry turned into a full blown (if not slightly irrational) terror, and the urge to break down the door was beginning to rise a little in the back of her mind. Again, she knocked on the door and quieted her breathing, hoping to hear Belle moving inside.

There was no one in there.

Swallowing a slow breath of almost relief, Ruby slowly made her way down the hall and towards the stairs. Belle hadn't even walked down them, there was no scent. Fear morphed into confusion, masked with some curiously and back to fear again when Ruby's pace picked up and she found herself in the street in seconds.

There weren't too many places in town Belle could possibly have gone, she knew so little about the town, but Ruby still searched everywhere trying to pick up a scent, but even she couldn't pick anything up. Wherever Belle was, something was overpowering her.

Exhausted, yet still running, Ruby burst into the diner, forgetting for a moment that the other people still weren't used to having someone with werewolf speed flying around. Eyes stared at her, overcome by her speedy arrive more than likely, but she ignored them all. "Granny?" she called. It was her day off, but she needed help. "Granny?"

The woman in question came through the doors at the second call of her title. "Ruby, I swear, I have work to do here, I can't be at your every beck and call-"

"I can't find Belle." Ruby's voice was quiet, so as not to let anyone around her hear, and all of a sudden she thanked wolf hearing. It was much easier to share information like this. Granny seemed to be taken aback by the news, and opened her mouth to speak but Ruby cut her off. "I can't smell her; she wasn't even home last night." For a second, Ruby was drawn back into her thoughts at how domestic that sounded…

But Granny was quick to punch her in the gut with an idea that Ruby knew to be true the moment she heard it. "Have you checked with Gold?"

Ruby hadn't checked there for that very reason, she was hoping to whatever higher being (if any), that was up there that Belle wouldn't be with _him_. Spent the night with him, not even a week after lying with her? Ruby couldn't wrap her head around Belle doing something like that, yet it was the only explanation.

She hadn't even walked past Gold's shop, just in case, in her worried frenzy, she found Belle in there. She had even crossed the street to get to Granny's in the faint, barely there hope that Belle had just gotten up so early that her trail had gone cold, and would be waiting in the diner, eating toast or some other simple thing that could wow her.

But Belle wasn't there, and Granny was looking at her with big, wolf eyes that made Ruby feel like she was under scrutiny, yet being offered sympathy. She wanted neither.

Ruby could feel eyes on her, customers and staff alike wondering why she looked so shook up, with her hair windblown and her face mournful, but she was past caring. Like a bullet out of a gun, she was gone, out the door and down the street, feet hitting the ground at such speed it was as if she was almost floating.

Truthfully, she had little time to think within the seven seconds it took to get to the antique shop, but something's did cross her mind in one of those moments. One being that the night had gone well and Belle had… left her. The idea sent chills down her spine and had her stomach closing in on itself, as if to destroy her.

Another thing that struck her was something more than Belle leaving, that it could be foul play on Rumpelstiltskin's part. But then again, he had little to no magic, so that couldn't be it. She didn't know much about magic, but she knew there was no such thing as a love spell.

It felt like forever before she was at his door, barrelling through it like it didn't exist. There he was, just standing behind his desk, tending to what seemed to be a hairbrush, but Ruby didn't stop to give it a proper look. Her eyes were fixed on Gold, burning with something even he should have taken notice of. Yet he didn't bat an eye at her.

"Where is she?" her voice was biting, but she could not expect much else. Gold took his time to even look at her, he just picked away at his little artefact until it was perfect for him while Ruby grew angrier and angrier by the second. Being angry like that was dangerous when the man in front of her could use that emotion so well.

Rumpelstiltskin looked up at her calmly after he had finished his work, even smiling his crooked smile at her, like they were on friendly terms, or even tolerated each other. She wasn't even sure he had known her name before all this started. "Miss Lucas, what can I do for you?" His voice only added fuel to the fire inside her.

"Where is she?" Ruby asked again. "Belle."

His smile was permanent and Ruby could help the slivers of fear that infiltrated her defences at his expression. Did he ever look at her with anything expect laughter on his face?

After a beat, he spoke again. "I don't know exactly where Belle is at any given time, she's not micro chipped." She should have expected that one. "So I cannot help you."

Ruby gritted her teeth. "But you have a basic _idea_ of where she is." It wasn't a question, but she knew he would answer the silent alarm that she had no doubt he could sense. He did take the bait, straightening up to his full height and leaning on his stick, his smile having morphed into a smirk before she had even realised it.

But there was no witty reply this time. This time, Gold was interrupted by the entrance of another form from further down his stop, in the back room. Much to Rumpelstiltskin's delight and Ruby's confusion, Belle had waded her way into the room to stand behind the counter at his side. "Oh, hi Ruby," she said in a cheerful voice, not unlike how she had spoken the day before, but this time Ruby was thrown.

But before she could even gather her thought to speak, Belle had already brought herself up to stand as high as she could and stretched around him to place a gentle kiss to Rumpelstiltskin's lips and Ruby suddenly couldn't breathe. "What are you doing here?"

Somewhere, she knew Belle was speaking to her, but Ruby could even hear her. Her wolf howled and lunged and snarled and cried and she wanted so desperately to give in and just do the same, but she fought weakly for control. Belle wasn't like this yesterday. She wasn't even saying anything, not even an apology or an excuse.

That wasn't Belle. Belle was kind enough to feel something. Belle would feel awfully for her actions and at least offer something for comfort or sympathy. But this Belle did nothing but rub it in her face that she was second choice. Just like she had known she would be.

She didn't even smell like Belle, she had a tangy, fruiter odour that made Ruby want to sneeze and back away. Like waking from a trance, Ruby's eyes finally cleared and she could see them, Belle's arm wrapped around his waist, watching her with the same wide eyes she always had, and it made her sick. She needed to get out of there. "Um, nothing, it's nothing."

With that, she fled, finally giving into her wolf's desire to cry.


	13. Chapter 13

"How is she?"

Granny reached up to take her glasses off her nose, placing the book she was pretending to read on the desk. In front of her stood Emma Swan, the concerned look that she had worn far too much since her arrival in Storybrooke was prominent and it did nothing to lighten the older woman's mood.

Shaking her head, Granny sighed. "I don't know how to fix this." She confessed. "It's broken her. She's not left her room in weeks." Emma looked down, uncomfortable. Granny nearly smiled in that sad fashion people do when their upset, if not for the fact that Emma looked back up at her so quickly.

Emma licked her lips. "There's nothing we can do?" Granny glanced at her with a look of respect. Emma always cared so much for those around her, it was quite honourable to see.

"No, if anything will heal her, it's time." _Or perhaps hope_, Widow Lucas thought as the grief fell back onto her shoulders, dragging them back down again. She knew the pain Ruby felt, but her pain was not born of rejection. She couldn't even imagine that kind of hurt. Her old wolf almost roused to howl at the thought.

Emma drew in a slow breath, taking her time. "So, Belle just… left?" Granny quickly made shushing gestures, pointing towards the ceiling with bared teeth. "She can hear us." She mouthed with a grimace that Emma echoed, mouthing "I'm sorry," back. Granny brushed it away with her hands. "It'll be okay." She said. "Don't worry."

Emma just nodded, but she knew just as well at Granny did that that was a lie, and a filthy one at that. She had heard about this little story, that Ruby was having an affair with Belle for a short period (Mary Margaret had seemed so sad when she had told her over breakfast a few days before, but Emma still wasn't sure as too why), but that Belle had gone back to Gold.

Most of the town said they had seen it coming from a mile away, that it was only a matter of time before Belle was back again at his side, but Emma had always hoped differently of the former princess. It didn't seem like something she would do. But then again, Emma didn't know her well enough to judge. "Why do I feel like there's more to this?" Granny's blood ran cold.

Ruby wouldn't like her telling everyone so much about the curse; they already feared her to a certain extent and avoided her where possible. Thinking she had 'claimed' someone with some sort of canine love, only to be thrown out, would only lead to more ridicule that she would not wish on anyone, especially her granddaughter.

Shaking her head slowly, Granny answered with a quiet, deadpan, "I don't think so, that was all Red told me." Emma nodded with pursed lips and a nagging in her gut. "They just looked so happy earlier… this doesn't seem like Belle." she was thinking aloud, and Granny left her to do so. "Well then, I, uh, guess I'll be off." Emma defaulted to her Sheriff stature, her voice deepening an octave, and Granny nodded.

"You best be."

Meanwhile, Ruby had heard every word from her room. She didn't want to hear it, but she had, and it did nothing to ease the growling pain in her chest. Was this heartbreak? Or was it the wolf, yearning for the mate it couldn't touch? At that point it wasn't important.

Ruby felt strange. It wasn't a feeling she had ever felt before, but it hurt enough to knock each new breath from her chest and have her stomach burn as if in flames. She felt like she had when she realised that Peter was gone, but this was different. The pain of that had never left her. And now she had to carry this burden with it.

Without a sound, she sank further down into her pillow, her hands gripped tightly on her sheets, holding them to her chest. She didn't want to move today. Like she hadn't the day before. Or the day before that. Whatever, she didn't care. There was nothing she would rather do that lie in bed and wait out her days.

She knew Granny would never let her do that of course. Eventually the older woman was going to come down on her like a ton of bricks and force her to move on with her life, but she had time before that ever happened, time she would gladly waste in grief, listening to meaningless conversations of the people around her as they went out their lives.

Ruby wanted to stretch but then she didn't and she couldn't be bothered to find out which was true. Instead, her mind had been caught by something else that she had heard spoken down downstairs. Emma had been speaking, rambling a little, but Ruby had still heard every word. _This doesn't seem like Belle_.

What if she was right? Maybe there was something more to this that she herself couldn't see through the forever thickening fog of self-hatred that had long ago swarmed and encased her. It was an overly hopeful thought other part but there could easily be some truth hidden deep inside it that she would never see if she didn't at least attempt it.

But could she really even find the energy to try? It was so farfetched, at it could send her hurt skyrocketing to even more painful heights if she was wrong, and she wasn't ready to risk this getting any worse. It was already barely bearable for her.

She still didn't even understand what had gone wrong for her, even if there was no other explanation but that Belle had decided that she had made a mistake and gone back to him after their night. Belle had _chosen_ her, and she hadn't be shy about telling her so, why would she have gone back on something she knew meant a lot to her? That wasn't Belle.

To rub in her face afterwards so cruelly too? Ruby felt the pain of a sword in her chest at the thought of her wrapped so comfortably around him, her lips caressing is cheek and being so delighted to do that she could not refrain five minutes until Ruby had left… Belle couldn't do that. Belle was not that wicked or cold hearted to pain any living creature in such a way, and if she cared about her half as much as she had said then there was no possible was that that was Belle.

Then of course, there was that scent. Belle didn't even smell like Belle anymore and that shattered Ruby a lot more than she ever suspected it could. Her wolf loved that smell, and she wouldn't lie and say she didn't. How she missed it even now. But that was not Belle she had smelt in Gold's shop, which was something else. Somehow familiar yet… not?

Ruby had sworn she had smelt something similar before. Something that she actually liked, that felt like comfort, but whatever was added to this new Belle was ugly, and gave the smell a disgusting tinge that made her sick to remember. She knew she could live with it though, if Belle ever came back to her again.

Burying the thought quicker than she had thought it took no effort, and she was glad to do that.

She could still smell Belle on her sheets.

* * *

"You really don't have to cook for me, Rumpel." Belle soft voice flowed through the house from the dining room and into the kitchen, filling his ears with the sound and sending a smile of delight to his lips.

He made his way to the door to look out at her, watch her wander around his mansion, picking up random objects to inspect them. She had been there for three nights but had yet to map out everything and wouldn't stop until she did. For a moment, Rumpelstiltskin paused to take in her beauty. Even dressed so casually she amazed him. And she was all his.

"It's no trouble," his said, his accent ringing out towards her. Belle looked up at the sound of his voice, smiling when she saw him watching her. "I love to cook for you."

"You've cooked every night, don't you want a break?" Her eyes were soft, silently offering her help that he did not need or want. Slowly, Belle made her way towards him until she was right in front of him, her lips curling up into that gentle smile that never failed to relax the magic man. Yet he had not been relaxed in a long time now.

Shaking his head, Rumpelstiltskin broke their eye contact to turn on his heel and make his way back over to the soup, his starter for the evening. It was starting to boil now. He would have to take it off soon. "I enjoy myself while I'm cooking," he said, staring down into his pot while Belle leaned on the doorframe.

In the oven, his casserole sat baking away. It was done, but keeping it at the perfect temperature was important to Rumpel. Everything had to be perfect now. "Now go take you seat. Dinner is served."

Belle smiled and shook her head at his tone, spinning to leave. It wasn't his Storybrooke voice. Without making a sound, she disappeared out of the room, letting the door swing shut behind her out of habit. The slam of the door gave Gold just the moment of secrecy he needed.

With a delighted smile, he reached under the grey apron to draw a colourful vial from his pocket. The potion inside was a swirling combination of greens and blues and every other colour under the sun. It was a potion he had taken many years completely, and a lot of time replicating. Making more had taken him a break in and a cut up fist, but it was worth it. Now his plan had come together. Masterfully, in fact.

Carefully as he could, Rumpelstiltskin lifted his soup from the heat of the stove, placing it carefully on the countertop to cool just enough for it to be edible without them burning themselves. Meanwhile, he made his way to the over and turned off the heat, opening the door and putting on his oven gloves slowly, before reaching in and taking the hot dish, putting it down beside the soup. He would put it back into the heat in a moment.

Pulling the plug from the vial took a surprising amount of force, but a few low grunts later and he was pouring the potion generously onto both dishes, watching as the colour dissolve as it touched the food, its bright colourfulness dimmed by the brown of each.

The first time he had tried this it had been chance that it would even work. When he had developed it, he had simply assumed that it would work. He always had, and it had never sent him wrong before, and this was no different. He had been worried for it, however. It was his last chance, and it had gone just how he had planned it.

Now Belle sat at his table, waiting with her loving smiles for him to arrive into her feast, and she would be there every night to come. She would be there when he left the house and there when he returned. She would be in his bed at night and by his side at breakfast the next morning. Yes, his idea had worked, and he had earned his happy ending, with his True Love by his side. She would fix him, and one day he could even take her off the love potions…

That was a wish of his, that she would fall in real love with him again as she spent her days there. How could she not? She was bound by the very universe to be by his side, helping him to unlock the good inside him and turn his power to good. That's how the story ended for them. The wolf would not emerge again, maybe she could even die like her story told she would.

But that did not matter, she was no longer an issue. Belle would not stray from his side no matter what that wolf did. So, placing his main back in the oven to keep it warm, Rumpelstiltskin spooned the thick, vegetable soup into two bowls, and added a quick flourish of cream and herbs to mask the potion taste as much as possible before lifting them both onto the readied tray to carry them back out to where Belle waited for him.


	14. Chapter 14

Ruby could feel her grandmother's eyes on her pretending to sleep form. She had been watching for so long that the time had blended and she had lost track of it. But, then again, weren't all of her days spent like this too?

"Ruby?" finally, Granny spoke, her voice tired and full of worry, but Ruby's eyelids didn't even flutter. "Please come downstairs and eat something." She wasn't hungry, she hadn't been in a while. It was the mating pain she had been warned about, but she didn't care what caused it, she just didn't want to move, never mind eat. "Ruby it's been three days, you need to eat."

Had it really only been three days? Ruby's head ached. There was too much sound with Granny now speaking to her. She already had a headache trying to pry through Belle's mind for answers, but it was as if it had been locked and she no longer held the key. She didn't understand it. With someone else in the room it just meant she had noise to deal with too.

She could hear her kin's bitten back sigh and almost smiled in triumph, but she hadn't moved for awhile, it was as if it would take an extra effort to make her body move now, so she didn't even try. She hadn't smiled in a while anyway.

Granny stared down at her granddaughter's back, a sadly familiar urge to protect rising once again in her bones, but she was powerless to help her now. The wolf in her whined at the pain radiating from the girl in front of her, but even it knew that Ruby was a lost cause. In moving packs she could even be given up on.

But they were no moving pack, and Granny was sure as hell not giving up on waking Ruby. Though for the night, that was all. Ruby would hopefully get hungry and move soon. "Well, if you want anything, I'll be right downstairs." Ruby didn't even seem to hear her. "You hear me, Ruby?"

Slowly, Ruby's head moved up and down once in answer, a tiny showing of her presence in the room, and Granny let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Ruby would heal. It would take time but there was a real fighting chance that she may even want to heal, and that was enough to keep her here.

Trying to make as little sound as possible, Granny turned to leave the room, slowly closing the door with a soft click and listening to Ruby's breathing even as she fell back into her restless sleep. With a gentle sigh, Granny closed her eyes. This wasn't what was meant to happen.

Though she didn't always show it, she did watch over Ruby, and she did pay attention for her wellbeing. Belle hadn't been a threat to her health and she had known it from the start. If she had thought any different she would have been a little more firm with the girl, thought her the real dangers of what was going on in Ruby's wolf's mind. Maybe then she wouldn't have been so cruel.

Too late now though, the damage was done and only Belle could fix what she had destroyed. Granny wasn't even sure she wanted her around anymore, but she knew for a fact Ruby wouldn't turn her away, even if she wanted too. Having a mate was not as easy sailing as a True Love could be, but it was almost as perfect when it went right.

Ruby's had not gone right.

Usually, it was almost a given that a mated pair would end up being together one way or another. Widow Lucas had even heard of some people sharing a home with both their True Love and mate, but those were rare, and back in their home world, frowned upon. She had never really seen what was so awful about it. If someone agreed to something let them live out their choice, frowning on things that serve everyone well was foolish in her opinion.

None of this thinking would help Ruby now though, Belle was gone for good. Granny hadn't even seen her since Ruby had run back with the news. Probably holed up in Rumpelstiltskin's mansion with him, sorting through ornaments and cleaning, or something. Granny rolled her eyes with an upward scoff as she descended down the stairs, holding tightly to the railing. _I hope their happy now,_ she thought, her heart breaking in her chest with every whine she heard.

So focused on her thoughts as she was, she failed to take note of the new people in her makeshift lobby, both standing in complete silence with exactly on metre between them, an icy look on each face as they watched the elderly woman descend towards them. Only when the familiar scents reached her nose did she glance up with a slightly irritated gaze. "What?"

Regina Mills cleared her throat loudly. "Miss Swan has informed me of your granddaughter's loss, and I am here to offer condolences, and a thought." A quick glance towards Emma gave Granny a worried edge. The blonde's sudden smile had landed on her now, and it didn't make her feel as comfortable as she would have thought. It seemed strange to smile now.

"And that would be?" she didn't have time to listen to Regina's drawl or Emma's savoir helpline, she had better things to do, like force feed her last remaining family member, so Granny was having none of it. "Come on."

As if thrown by her, Regina cocked an eyebrow. "When I heard the story, I was struck by a memory," she spoke slowly, unblinkingly, and Granny knew she did it on purpose. Wasting time because she could. "From back in our world. It was a rumour more than anything, but I had heard something over my travels of Rumpelstiltskin's success in creating… well a _love_ potion."

That got Granny's attention. "A what?"

"A love potion, surely you understand the concept." Regina's insult did not go unnoticed, but it received no desired effect. To this the witch's only reaction was an added bite to her glare. "Nevertheless, I believe my sources to this day, and would trust the greatly. He has access to these potions, and I would think that this is how he has drawn the French girl back to him."

Granny had never been sure of the Queen, neither in this world or any other did she believe her to be a woman someone of a right mind would give their allegiance to, and to owe her any kind of favour would be madness. But Ruby was upstairs listening, she knew this without a doubt. She needed to thread carefully.

"Why are you telling me this?" Granny spat towards Regina. Emma's eyes were following them, bouncing from speaking to speaker yet she didn't say a word to alert them to her presence. Granny could have even forgotten she was there if not for the leathery scent in the air, mingling with the sour apples.

"I care for the girls' wellbeing of course." Regina smiled a slow smile, curling at the edges before finally breaking apart to bear sparkling teeth at the old wolf. Granny was having none of it that day, and glared right back, challenging the power of a magic deprived witch against that of a tamed werewolf. Finally, it was Regina that broke. "I have had many trifles with Rumpelstiltskin in my time, adding another is only a treat."

There was a tint to her voice that sounded almost strange, but Granny was not going to get into the trials of an evil one when she needed her to do good for her family's sake. "Do you know how long these potions last?" Granny said in a firm tone that Emma started at a little.

"Of course not." Regina said with a scoff. "I've never so much as _seen _this magic, how could I know how to do away with it?" Granny could have shot her at that moment, whipped that smirk clean off her face if not for Emma's opportune moment of entry back into the real world.

"What she's trying to say is that she'll help!" Emma said in a rapid word vomit that Regina rolled her eyes too. "I mean, I told her what was going on and she-" "I said I would like to spite that man again… for old time's sake. I can speak for myself Miss Swan."

Emma seemed like she would retaliate for a moment, before a silent look shut her mouth again and she turned to Granny. "She thinks she knows how to help." Her excited smile was just like Henry's, and all of a sudden she wasn't the same backtracking woman Granny had thought she was. She was sure of what she said, and Granny would listen.

"How?"

Emma and Regina's eyes darted up behind Granny, who carefully turned in her place. Ruby stood halfway up the stairs, looking pale and tired, her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection and her voice expressionless. None of that mattered, she was up, and that was the first step to getting her back.

"How can we get rid of the potions?" Ruby repeated, taking a few steps towards them. She unwound her arms so she could grab at the wall to stop her from falling on shaky legs. Now that she was up she noticed how starving she really was.

Regina shook herself out of her daze. "Quite simple, we can deprive him of whatever the ingredients to the concoction may be, or we cans stop him from administering them until it leaves Belle's system and we can convince her of the truth. Either way it could take from months to hours."

While she spoke, Ruby had made her way to the front desk and Granny had wandered off to get her cereal to give her enough energy to do anything. "Sadly, we do not know what makes the potion so we cannot use that theory."

"Actually," Ruby's voice, a little stronger now, rung out. "I could smell it on her, I think. The potion. It was familiar, but I couldn't place it then. It smelt a lot like Emma." She cleared her throat when the sheriff's eyes landed firmly on her. "Well, Snow and Charming."

Regina's pated lips came together in a smile. "Of course, the very essence of True Love is needed to create the magic the potion would bestow." She seemed almost disappointed that she hadn't thought of it first, her eyes wandering. "But where has he gotten anything of theirs?"

"I know!" Emma was getting overexcited now. "She lost a hairbrush. Snow, I mean. Could hair be it?" Regina nodded slowly and she continued. "Dad used it sometimes too…"

"That's it then, he uses the hair for the potions. But if he has it in his home we still can't take it away from him." Regina bit back, flicking her wrist in a lazy reaction to Emma's discovery. "We can't just waltz into his house to take it."

There was a collected off sync nod, and Ruby deflated a little again but she stayed. Emma watched with a crinkle forming in her forehead. "But, can't we still just stop him from giving it to Belle?" All eyes turned to her. "I mean, if we knew how long it lasted, couldn't we take Belle out for dinner and just… not give her potion?"

"We don't know how long it lasts Sheriff."

"Can't we just make another though?" Emma rebutted. "Just go to Snow and Charming and ask for their hair and see how long it takes before it wears?" Emma was smiling now. She knew she was right and she thrived on the notion that she had figured it out before Regina.

Knowing that she could not swing this in her direction, Regina nodded. "Yes, that would work. But you'd need a volunteer to test it on for that to work." Emma drew in a slow breath and Ruby and Granny dropped their heads to the ground, like students hoping not to get picked on by a teacher.

"I can do that." Emma slowly said after a moment passed in which no one spoke up. "Yeah, I'll do it." Ruby watched carefully, as Emma licked her lips in what would have seemed like worry if not for her slightly upturned lips.

Granny coughed a little. "Right, so you can make this potion then?" Regina nodded, breaking her eyes away from the blonde and towards the speaker, blinking a little to clear her mind and think.

"It shouldn't be a problem."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Little thing I forgot last chapter, for Avarenda – Rumpel only took the potion himself to avoid extra suspicion should Belle ever come in while he's serving or is it's a meal served straight out of the dish… also it's a hell of a lot easier to just cover everything in the potion if he has plenty of it. And because that's just what ended up on the page. **

Emma winced and gritted her teeth as she downed the purple sparkling liquid she had been given. "Couldn't I drink it with food or… have it as a pill or something?"

Granny rolled her eyes at the younger woman, but smiled a little. She was enjoying this far more than she would like to admit. Waiting for Regina to actually make the potion had been a bit trying on her nerves, but she had gotten Ruby back.

Just like herself, years ago, Ruby had healed enough of herself to get up and move around. Of course, she was still zombielike in gait and carried black bags under her eyes, but it was enough to relax her grandmother. Ruby was putting an effort into this, and Granny knew she wanted to help Belle free herself from him.

But she was no fool. She knew what kept Ruby awake every night listening to slow music stations. Ruby was scared that Belle wouldn't just come running back once she was free, that maybe she would have fallen for her ex-lover all over again while under his spell. It would not be the first time, if Granny could guess correctly, that the darkness in him had won her over…

With a silent scoff, she turned her attention back to the two women before her, Emma still looking rather pale and sick while Regina seemed bored if anything, though that wasn't exactly much of a change. If not for the curiosity Granny could pick out in her eyes, but that wasn't something she knew the Queen would what shared.

Getting the hairs from Snow and Charming had been an awkward and slow process, when the two had wanted the full story before they handed anything over. Of course, Emma had gotten frustrated and asked why they couldn't use Henry's and her own, but Regina had "wanted to do it Gold's way," and so there they were.

A week later and the potion was ready for Emma to drink, so there they were, all four of them sitting in the lobby of the Bed and Breakfast watching Emma whine about the foul taste and watching the worry lines grow deeper and deeper in her own face as she realised what she had done. In all honesty, the other three women were only amused.

Ruby watched with something akin to interest from her place laid out on the couch, but she was tired of waiting now. Waiting for the potion to brew, for Emma to drink, for the effect to kick in… the list was endless and she knew that would continue to be the way for the next few hours still. So she ignored her adrenaline yet again in favour of waiting.

The change in Emma was quick to show on her face. The softening features and brightening smile were the first things the rest of the room's occupants noticed first, and Regina instinctively back off, as if she expected Emma to blow up or get sick or something. Might not have been the first time…

"Well," Granny asked, reaching forward but refraining from touching the blonde. "How do you feel?"

Emma's smile wandered around the room, taking everything in in the new light that seemed to emit from her whole body. "Fantastic," she said, her right foot bouncing slowly on the floor. "Amazing, what was in that potion… Regina?"

Granny would have almost laughed, and Ruby in fact did. The strange combination of smells coming from the Sheriff was one thing, but that they were all wafting around the room towards Regina only made it better. "Hi, Regina." Emma's high pitched voice was too much and Ruby did laugh.

Granny almost jumped at the sound and spun to look at Ruby, doubled over on the couch, full out laughing at the scene in front of her. Granny couldn't help but smile. She hadn't seen Ruby so happy in a long time, and if this was what it took, well she would need to find more excuses to give Emma more love potions.

Regina's eyebrows raised in as much alarm as she was willing to show. "Hello, Emma." She answered in an awkward voice that only made Ruby's stomach hurt trying to keep her laughter to herself, and Granny smirked.

"Do you know how the potion works the, Regina?" Granny asked, smiling at the suddenly glaring witch.

"I have a basic idea, thank you, Widow Lucas."

Ruby smiled and uncurled herself to take a quick glance out and onto the others. Emma was slowly sidling closer to her new love and it took as Ruby had to stay quiet. For a moment, she forgot about the pain in her chest and her ache in her head. For now at least, she could laugh at something.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin was having a fantastic morning. The day was just warn enough to be comfortable, the night had given him a rested sleep, and when he had finally woke, his potion had not worn off. It was a nice change.

Usually, there was an awkward stage between waking and breakfast where Belle was not fully under his spell. She was dazed and confused and sometimes angry at him, but usually he would do the same old, "Let me explain over tea," trick and it would work flawlessly. But not this morning. This morning Belle was up before him and already making breakfast.

"What would you like?" he was still half in sleep when he heard her call, but it woke him up fast then he had ever woken before in his hundreds of years of life. "No, no, Belle, I will cook for you!" He called back, quickly dressing in his robe and hobbling down the stairs only to see Belle, clothed similarly, looking through cupboards.

Belle turned to look at him when he entered. "Good morning," she said, "and you cook every day, really you have to let _me_ take care of _you_ sometimes." That stupid smile that she wore every waking second was there again, and Rumpel still didn't know what it was about it that made him uncomfortable.

"No, sweetheart, really, it relaxes me to cook."

"It never did before." Like a whiplash, she was ready as soon as the words left his lips. "You never cooked in the castle."

He swallowed and shook his head. "Because I was busy then, love, but here I can follow my desire as much as I please." Belle had turned back around sometime in his speech, but he did not miss her slightly narrowed eyes. He didn't have much time left now.

"Please Belle, allow me to get you some breakfast, just wait in the dining room." Like a puppet on strings, his words jerked Belle up and around towards him, and he could almost see the potions effects wearing off her. "I'll be right in." he continued, taking a step towards the cooker and subtlety moving Belle towards the door. "Maybe we can go for a little walk later, get out of the house."

Like a ghost, Belle glided towards the other room, a confused light surrounding her, finally leaving Rumpelstiltskin alone to poison her once again.

* * *

"Regina!"

The woman in question almost groaned as the show, drawn out version of her name. The last two hours had been... rough if anything, on herself.

The potion she had made was a strange combination of both True and puppy love, apparently, and had Emma glued to her side every moment she wasn't in the bathroom. She had taken to spending a lot of time hiding in there.

To make matters worse, Ruby and her grandmother were finding her situation to be hilarious, and it only fuelled the anger that had begun to brew the moment Emma drank that stupid potion. Regina was really starting to regret it now, but she was trying to be good, and if this was what it took, she would try her best.

Snow and Charming had shown up too, which turned out to be just another thing that Regina found was near maddening. The two had hovered over their daughter, (and in addition, herself) for the best part of an hour, until Granny (thankfully) chased them away with promises of updates. She could still hear their chuckles from outside the door rattling in her mind.

Emma sat beside her on the couch, a little too close for comfort between two people who rivalled on so many occasions, and quickly took up her post of staring until Regina got uncomfortable again. Ruby smiled into her coffee at the sight. It had been great to see at first, and it was still entertaining now, but she was tired.

Truthfully, Ruby would love for the concoction to wear off so they could just go and hopefully get Belle away from Rumpelstiltskin. She still wasn't too sure why they couldn't do it now, even with her still under the spell. Did it matter if Belle was in love with him for a couple of hours? If she was in their care, couldn't they still just wait it out instead of this?

But she didn't voice it. If Regina and Granny were so sure maybe there was something in it she couldn't see through her own eyes. But she was still impatient. It was a full moon again that night, and she knew that was the reason for her excess adrenaline. She needed a run.

Granny would never let her out with Belle so close by and out of her reach…

Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the Mayor, who was trying to lean at an awkward angle to keep herself as far away from Emma as possible without giving her the space to move closer again. Even with the stress of the day, Ruby had to admit that it was going to be funny forever.

As slyly as she could, she reached into her pocket to retrieve her phone, hiding it under her leg and clicking the camera icon. A couple of pictures and a recording worth of memories couldn't hurt…

Meanwhile, Granny was bored now. Even seeing Emma swoon wasn't worth the wait. She could see her family's impatience as easy as if she was rushing out the door to find Belle at that very moment, and though she was proud of her for staying still, she knew it wouldn't last. She could live with Ruby's fake smile for now, but she could not imagine living with it forever.

Time ticked by slowly, and the obnoxious clock chimes only made it worse. For the first time, Ruby cursed Emma's coming, and unintentionally restarting their lives, and it was all because of that one sound. The sound from the clock above the library…

Ruby's eyes slid shut and she breathed in the air slowly. _It would wear off soon, it would wear off soon, soon…_

It was another hour before Emma even began to show signs of coming back down to earth. Little jerks away from Regina or dimming smiles were a nice scene for her observers, particularly Regina, who had begun regretting ever saying she could make the potion hours beforehand, or maybe even the minute Emma went sappy.

So the slow signs of where off were such a relief, it was as if the collected air of frustration left the room when Emma looked up at Regina with a confused look on her face, getting up and moving away ever so slightly. She didn't speak, or make any sound at all, but it was enough to send a jolt of excitement through the room.

"Emma?" Granny ventured forwards first. "How are you feeling?"

Emma still seemed confused when she turned to the older woman with a shrug. "Don't know."

Ruby watched with almost eerily unblinking eyes until the blonde spoke again. "Fine, like always… why?" She blinked. "I took the potion…" she had seen the clock on the front desk and her eyes grew to a comical size. "Six hours ago?"

"Don't you remember?"

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Bits and pieces…" Regina exhaled slowly, her eyes closing in relief and suddenly Ruby was all the happier to have the pictures. Granny huffed, but inwardly, she was glad. Belle may not remember anything that went on those past few days. It was a blessing she would make sure to be thankful for later.

Sucking in another breath, Granny quickly became aware of Ruby once again and hastened to her side. Ruby was going to turn soon, but with her drive to free her mate there was no telling what her wolf would do, or if she could even control it.

Grabbing Ruby by the arm, she glared up at her, silently asking for her to be civil, and just like that Ruby forcibly calmed herself, gritting her teeth and nodded her head, defeated. She had waited this long. What was one more night?

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed the orange tinged sky. The sun would be setting soon.

**A/N: I would like to take this moment to say that I have written most of this chapter with only one hand, as I have managed to give myself a cut worthy of stitches while doing household chores... Anyways yeah, that's why it took a while, next ones up soon.**

**And I still own nothing.**


	16. Chapter 16

Rumpelstiltskin could not grant his offer of a walk in the woods until hours later than he had once planned. After talking her potion, Belle didn't really want to go anywhere again, instead just curling up with some book she had taken from the library weeks prior than she hadn't gotten around too before.

He wasn't complaining, he wasn't the walking type, with his cripple, but it didn't give him much to do throughout the day. Thankfully, the new Belle didn't care what he did, magic wise, and allowed him the freedom to practise whatever he wanted on his own time.

So he had spent his day in the basement, slowly spinning every strand of straw he could find into the finest gold the world would ever get the chance of seeing. No one but him could ever see it of course.

But eventually, after he had dosed her yet again, Belle didn't want to go back to her place by the fire. She had finished her book and was getting tired of doing so little. He should have seen it coming really. Belle was always adventurous, and even though this town had been her home months before she had come back to his side, she would still prefer its sights to that inside his home.

So that evening, they found themselves at the town line, as far into the forest as the curse would allow them, sitting comfortably on the slightly dew covered slope to watch as the sunset tinged the sky with pink and orange stripes travelling across the blue as to faded to black. Beautiful.

But Rumpel wasn't thinking of that anymore. Instead his eyes were locked on Belle as she watched the sky, something in her eyes akin to both delight and boredom. Something he would never have thought possible before her. It wasn't long before she turned to him with a sort of daydreaming look on her face. "Rumpelstitskin?" she asked, her voice light and barely there.

He responded with a sighing grunt and she sighed. "I don't feel well." She spoke in such a manner, it was as if she was brushing it off, but not quiet. He didn't understand the new her enough to think it odd. As quickly as he could, he rose to his feet and offered his hand to her unseeing eyes.

Slowly, she reached for it and pulled herself up, not quite meeting his eye. She watched the ground as a second choice, her eyes thoughtful and her stomach churning.

Maybe there was something off about her, but at the time, he didn't notice. Or, if he did, he didn't think about it enough to spot the change. But Belle had, and something in the back of her mind told her that being out and watching the sunset with her lover wasn't where she was meant to be.

* * *

The ground scattered beneath her paws to take the weight of her body as the wolf ran through the trees, running not after prey, but for the exhilaration of the chase. Under the earth, she could hear small creatures burying away in fright, hiding from her, but it gave her no pause.

She had things other than food plaguing her.

The sky was dark, but this wolf had never seen anything different, and thought she had seen lands other than this, she was getting tired of her surroundings. In the trees, she heard birds returning to nests for the night, and bats leaving their rock crevices to feed. She should be doing either, but instead, she ran where her strides took her, leaping over and around anything that got in her way.

* * *

"Stop, stop. Please!"

Rumpelstiltskin could have growled at the sound of her voice as she spoke again. The third time since she had requested they leave. It was late, and they had yet to eat since lunch. His stomach was begging for food, but his head was yearning for home. Belle's potion was wearing off.

The woman in his thoughts had stopped whether he liked it or not to lean against a tree, resting her hands on her knees and bending over. He had never seen her so exhausted in his life. Especially when he wasn't feeling anything akin to tiredness at all…

"Belle, we should really be heading home," he said softly, hoping to get her moving again. "It's very late." She shook her head.

"I can't." A groan brushed her lips. "I feel awful."

It was this moment that, if he had stopped to think, Gold would understand what was wrong with his beloved, but he did not stop. He needed to give her her next dose and quickly before it wore off her. Whether she was sick or not would fade over time. His losing her would not.

He gave her five minutes before pulling her to her feet and trudging on through the forest.

* * *

The wolf felt uncomfortable, but for reasons it couldn't understand. Deep within it, a suppressed part of it could have told her what was wrong, but she could not access this, and in fact was not paying attention at all to this buried knowledge.

She chose to keep running until her legs ached and her lungs burned for air. Only then, did she stop to breathe, scenting the air with the time she had. It was a small break during her endless search for something she didn't know, but it was enough to cool her body and breathe fresh air. With a single breath she found what she was looking for.

Throwing back her head in a howl, she ran again.

* * *

Belle refused to move now, and Rumpelstiltskin could feel his temper rising, though not out of anger. Belle's chattering teeth had him nervous, he knew he was running out of time now. Why had he even indulged her wishes when the potion would wear off so soon? He had never let her go this long without it, and she was coming down from the high it had given her.

He knew he was beginning to stress now, but what other choice did he have. Belle had not been without the potion since he had started giving it, and he knew she wouldn't react well. Even he wouldn't try and trick himself of that.

She seemed pale in the moonlight, the blue in her eyes almost translucent and it was an eerie sight to a scared man, alone in the woods and running out of time.

That's when he heard the howl, and his blood ran cold. His head fell back as if to answer, only to land on the full moon that shined almost heavenly in the sky. Beaming its light down on his crashing fairy tale.

* * *

The wolf was running again, this time with a destination in mind. Thoughts began to piece together again and the wolf's gait was troubled for a moment, before she regained her footing and kept moving, this time as Ruby.

She was human, in her mind anyway, and she was in control.

Her wolf had always played a small part in her while she was in this form. She had travelled along with it in control for so long that not having it there wasn't an option anymore. But it was no matter, she was glad to follow the course her other self had set her. She could hear them, almost see the image of them.

Belle wasn't happy. She was in pain, and confused. Her mind was all messed up and it messed with Red's in turn. She would be on them in moments, and if the angry fear emitting from the man at her mate's side was any indication, she would not find safety with Belle.

* * *

Granny woke from her trancelike sleep at the sound of a wolf's howl, Ruby's howling. She had never lost her good scenes, but anyone with the ability to hear would have woken at the sound, as she sensed with the sounds of the townsfolk leaving their beds.

Like she had expected it to happen (and she had), Granny rose form her bed and found herself at a loss. She had a feeling that ruby would of course what to look for Belle, but that Belle was in the forest was something she hadn't thought of. Why would Gold even be out there? He surely wouldn't let her out by herself.

It was not Ruby she feared for. Ruby had more power than he did as the wolf, and he hadn't had his full powers in years. Even if he could regain them, he would be unpractised and weak. No, she feared for him if it came down to violence.

Ruby wasn't one to be dangerous unless she had lost control, but a howl like that was not human. It was load, territorial. A warning. She needed help. Unless she had control again she could find herself back in the place she used to be, back when she first found out she was a wolf.

Granny closed her eyes in thought. She needed the cloak.

Ten minutes later would find the old woman outside Gold's shop, a thoughtful look crossing her eyes and a curious hand reaching for the door handle. It was a guess that he would have it, but if she knew him well enough she was sure of it. Maybe he would have just overlooked it and not bothered to give it back, knowing that it wasn't important, Ruby didn't need it.

Well, that's what she hoped anyway.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin didn't even need to see her to know she was there. He didn't know what it was that gave her away, because she was silent as death and dark as night, but there was something that had turn turning to face her that made him wonder how his master plan had come to this.

Ruby watched with glowing yellow eyes as he turned to her, leaning heavily on his cane, staring her down as much as he could while he stood between her and the panting Belle. The wolf whined and Bell's eyes shot up, but her head remained down. Ruby still sensed something in her. She was glad, but she didn't know why.

The human side of her knew the spell was wearing off, and she would have been happy, if not for the man between them, barely taller than her with fizzling with anger that she could not match without putting her mate in danger. Her wolf was thrashing at its bonds, desperate to be let free of them, but Ruby held herself steady. She needed to do something… anything.

Belle's fuzzy mind was a strange thing, always there in the back of her head as she got closer. It didn't stop on any concrete thoughts for more than a second, or even form words or sentences. It was as if she had turned a radio wrong; just static.

The wolf growled and bared her teeth, a threat that Gold barely even took note of, but she knew he wasn't as sure as he claimed. But who could be that sure of a wild animal? Ruby would have smiled if she could, laughed even but that would have been going a little too far in this currant standoff.

"Red Riding Hood," his twanging accent startled her back in consciousness and her wolf bristled. "Leave."

Leave? She shook her head to show her answer and, in a moment of weakness, her wolf got loose, lunged forward to snap mere centimetres of the Dark One's chest, but quickly, Ruby pulled back, jaws snapping at air as she willed them to stop.

She couldn't kill him. As much as she wanted too… she didn't want to. Red had suffered through taking lives before, and as much as she knew it would only be doing the world a service, she didn't think she could do it. Belle groaned and Ruby's attention was caught by her. She couldn't kill him for Belle's sake.

Now, she knew she needed help.

Rumpelstiltskin was no fool, and he knew that she was feeling something other than primal instinct. "You have control?" It wasn't a question. When Ruby did nothing to respond, Gold huffed his lazy laugh and grabbed Belle's arm, pulling her up again.

Ruby let out a roar of anger and pounced towards him again, but he didn't let go. He smiled and it only added fuel to Ruby's anger. She could feel herself losing control of the wolf but she didn't care. She wanted him gone and if that was the only way, her wolf was glad to deal with any consequences. Ruby herself wasn't keen on thinking forward.

Belle sighed and shook her head at the sound, blinking and trying to clear her head as a wave of nausea claimed her. Jerking away from Gold, she moved to lean against a huge ash tree, the sheen of sweat on her face glittered in the light and somehow giving Ruby a calming period. She needed to keep her head.

Ruby was not the only one to have a weakness in this, and Gold knew it. He was powerless if Ruby broke, and Belle was not the easiest to keep moving if she didn't want to. If he waited too much longer then she would go to Ruby in a heartbeat and he knew it. This is what made him ignore Belle's wishes and reach for her again, only to have his hand knocked away by fur.

It was as if he had forgotten Ruby could move towards Belle at her leisure, and seeing her pass him and move to Belle's side was almost a surprise. In silence, as if afraid any sudden movements or sounds could jerk the tiny brunette from her dreamlike state of being, Rumpelstiltskin watched the wolf rub against Belle's side, like a domestic dog watching to be rubbed.

Belle blinked and vacantly stared down at the wolf, her hands almost absentmindedly brushing from its head down to the beginning of its tail. She murmured a greeting of sorts and shook her head, trying to clear it again as Gold began to advance on them again, realising with a jolt that Belle's eyes were returning to normal.

Ruby growled at him, warning him back, but Belle's hands gripped her fur to keep her from moving. "No," she whispered down to her, her lips barely moving and the sound almost non-existent, but Ruby heard it. She backed down, moving closer to Belle again to relish in the feeling of her hands on her back. Her mind wasn't fuzzy anymore.

"Belle, I really think we should-" He was quickly interrupted by a load crash and snap of someone clumsily standing on twigs and tripping over a root. Belle and Ruby's eyes swung over to look at the scene that was Emma crawling around on the ground, muttering some curses and Granny rolling her eyes at the scene.

With as much grace as she could muster, Emma sprung to her feet. "Rumpelstiltskin!" she called out, as Regina emerged from the brushes like she had materialised there, with a huff of annoyance at the blonde's loud announcements. "I have to take you to the station!"

The man she called on only looked at her with something like wonder in his eyes. "What?"

Before Emma could speak, Granny rushed forwards to Ruby's side, settling the still on edge werewolf by throwing the cloak over her with a little more drama than needed. Belle jumped at the sudden flash of magic that washed across Ruby's body, turning her human again in an instant, only to grin when the body under her hands wasn't furry any longer.

Belle didn't say anything, but all of a sudden, Emma's voice of reason to Gold was lost to her as soon as she saw Ruby again. Without a second thought, her arms wrapped around the slightly bedraggled werewolf in a tight hug, holding her as close as possible to Belle's own body. "I'm sorry," Ruby heard the whisper and shook her head.

"It's not your fault," she replied, muffled when she pressed her lips to Belle's neck, breathing in her scent. The pain was gone now. Belle closed her eyes at the touch, leaning her head down on Ruby's to relax. "I'm still sorry, I shouldn't have believed him… I just never thought he'd do that." Belle paused for a moment. "I know it hurt you."

Ruby bit her lip and let out a slow breath. Belle squirmed under the air. "Yeah… but its fine now," like proving a point, Ruby's arms tightened and Belle opened her eyes to watch Emma try and unsuccessfully cuff Gold, much to Regina's amusement. Ruby felt some confusion and opened her eyes to look up.

Belle's eyebrows were furrowed in thought. "What happened while I was under the spell?" she said slowly, watching Regina order Emma around a little and the Sherriff actually listening. Ruby forced her attention away and towards the others with a lazy shrug of her shoulders.

"Not as much as you think." She said, falling back onto Belle while she watched Emma finally get the handcuffs right and Rumpelstiltskin stand with a black face. "He'll come back. The cell won't hold him." Belle sighed, but she was glad.

Belle's hands clutched the soft cape tightly for a moment before they finally relaxed. She didn't need to be on edge. "But he won't come back for me."

**A/N: Well that's my story. Thank you for reading until the end and hopefully you'll read the other ones I'm going to write. Telle me how I did if you want.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Okay REALLY quick epilogue because it was demanded. Oh yeah, I don't own anything.**

"Ruby, your orders ready!" Granny smiled as her granddaughter sped past her, eagerly picking up the plate with a tiny pleading look that she knew her grandmother would bend under. "Fine, go!" Granny barely held in her scoff when Ruby only let out a squealing sound of delight and sped off again.

The diner was quiet that day anyway.

Ruby had been working all day, which was nothing outside the norm, but now that the lunch rush was over she wanted nothing more than to head home and warm up. The rainy days always carried a chill that she hoped the terrible radiator in her room could chase off. The fire in the library might be a little more suitable of course…

With that thought in mind, she set down the food and slid into the booth beside Belle, startling her from her book and kissing her softly on the cheek. "Granny gave me a few minutes off," she explained, picking up the cutlery and stealing a bite of Belle's pancakes. "You know having these every day is bad for you, right?"

Belle smiled with a roll of her eyes that Ruby wanted to imitate. It always seemed weird when Belle did that, even now that she had taken to doing it often. "You take half of it every other day? I'm guessing that's bad for you too?"

"Touché." Ruby grinned and continued to snack on Belle's lunch. "You know, I should eat here more often." Belle exhaled a laughing breath, pushing Ruby away from her food and snatching the fork before Ruby could see it coming.

"You're a terrible waitress." She murmured, trying to reach for the knife that was quickly raised out of her reach. She could almost feel Ruby's satisfaction when she had to stand to get to it and growled in annoyance. "Appalling actually."

Taking advantage of Belle's position, Ruby's smile turned mischievous. As soon as Belle's fingers closed around the utensil in her hand, Ruby's arms darted down to grab Belle's unprotected sides in a hug, dragged her back down to the seats with a cry of surprise and a barking laugh at had Granny's wrath thrown on them both in seconds.

"Both of you!" Ruby winced at the yelling, but Belle had gotten past the point of being nervous with Granny. The old woman knew it too, and paid it no mind. Secretly, she found it almost as funny just to see the difference between their reactions; Ruby jumping into action while Belle would almost relax more. "Stop messing about."

Ruby finally gave under Granny's voice and Belle smirked in triumph, already cutting up the thick pancakes with over dramatic relish, her head coked to the side slightly and her eyes focused on her work while Ruby watched with narrowed eyes. Silently, Ruby leaned on the table to watch, her head resting on her hand.

It took Belle all of three seconds to notice and begin to feel a little less sure of herself, and almost like a reflex her eyes wandered over to watch Ruby back. "What?" She asked, a little quieter now.

Ruby only smiled and brushed her off with a glance towards her food. Belle rolled her eyes and went back to eating, but she wasn't about to let it go. Using all her will power, Belle zoned out of reality, only keeping her hands moving to keep Ruby in ignorance, and decided to practise.

Granny had suggested early on in this that they mess around with their connection little more, and after a little clarification on what that meant to a forgetful Belle, she had agreed. But Ruby was having none of it and refused… not that that would stop Belle from trying when she didn't expect it.

It was hard at first, especially when Ruby would figure her out and get annoyed, but Ruby was easy enough to get around. She knew Belle was curious, so after a few incidents she just gave up trying to keep the petite woman out. Of course, mentally she was all shields, but she only found it amusing now.

So Belle had become pretty good at going through her head. While she was awake it was harder, but accidentally finding herself in Ruby's dreams was both easy and _terrifying_. Well at first it was, not it was just enough to wake her up when she knew her mate was scared. So that was actually pretty good in the long run.

That connection, though not as used as most, was something that Belle just liked to play with.

Ruby wasn't stupid, and she knew very well what was happening. There was always a tell when Belle was up to something, and it was usually something in her expression. Lazily, Ruby didn't even bat an eye as she willed her brain on just enough to keep Belle clouded and lost trying to get in. She'd get bored or tired eventually.

While Ruby watched her mate try to mess with her, she couldn't help but wonder how easily things could be different.

She hadn't seen Gold in what seemed like forever, but in reality was barely a month. She didn't care really, but it seemed like he had just… gone. Emma had investigated pretty early on and found nothing out of place. His house was normal but he just wasn't there anymore. Belle had explained that she had been right all along. He'd just gone to 'lick his wounds' and he'd be back in a few weeks.

Hopefully she was right that he wouldn't come after her again too.

He could have won. Easily, in fact, if he had only been a little faster on his feet or even have had just a tinge more magic. He could have disappeared from the spot and taken Belle with him, maybe to wherever he had gone now, and never come back. Or blasted Ruby off her feet on sight.

Thoughts like that did annoy her more than she would ever admit, but Belle knew it anyway. Even without being able to connect properly she knew what was going on and she spent almost all her time trying to get rid of those notions that could creep into Red's mind late at night when she was meant to be asleep.

Blinking as if to wake herself up, Ruby was glad to see that her defence had held against the stubborn woman beside her, whose forehead had winkled while she had paused in her brunch. "Can't do it?"

Ruby's voice snapped Belle out of her trance, and she had the sincerity to look a slightly sheepish when she smiled, looking at the darker brunette out of the corner of her eyes. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Ruby did a half scoff.

Belle nodded. "Yes, maybe."

Ruby lifted her head out of her hand stretch her back, smiling at little at Belle's tiny smirking smile that had become much less of a rarity since everything had died down.

But before she could speak again she was interrupted by a call of her own name. Granny pointed out the clock to her and she sent a silent plea the older woman's way. It went either unnoticed or Granny didn't care to give her any more time off. Belle rolled her eyes. "Go on, before she gives you hell."

"I'm not scared of her." Belle could never hold back laughter when the moment was right, but at least she tried. It was not fooling anyone but it was an attempt. "I'm not!" Ruby glanced over to where her grandmother still watched, one eyebrow cocked in threat. "Maybe a little."

Like flicking a switch, she turned back to Belle with a grin. "But I'll pay any price to spend more time here… watching you eat." Belle shook her head.

"Look at you, you're more charming than Charming." Belle giggled out, ending on a slow exhale. "Its nice being like this." She said with a quieter tone now.

"What do you mean?"

Belle bit her lip. "No one around to try and ruin it, it's nice." Ruby smiled and leaned in for a side hug, trying her best to ignore Granny's glares in her direction.

Letting Belle lean into her, Ruby closed her eyes on her work. "That the way it's meant to be, it's what we deserve, right?"

**A/N: I'm shit at all this 'the end' stuff, but I hope you enjoyed the definite ending and hope you'll come back for more of my stuff.**


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